Four Hooves
by destinedjagold
Summary: A human suddenly found himself as an Earth Pony in the fictional land of Equestria. Unfortunately, Equestria doesn't look the same as in the show. Regardless, it was still a little girl's show, so returning home shouldn't be a problem. Now if only he knew where the cliché ponies were located in this version of Equestria. You know, the ones who could help him get back home?
1. 1 - 01

Act 1

 _A human suddenly found himself as an Earth Pony in the fictional land of Equestria. Unfortunately, Equestria doesn't look the same as in the show. Regardless, it was still a little girl's show, so returning home shouldn't be a problem. Now if only he knew where the cliché ponies were located in this version of Equestria. You know, the ones who could help him get back home?_

* * *

Have you ever felt that familiar feeling of wakefulness? You know, that annoying feeling where you are about to wake up, but you still don't want to? Yeah, I am feeling it at the moment. I am slowly losing my grip on sleep and the annoyance I'm feeling is not helping me getting back to slumber. What's making it worse is that it's Monday today. Ugh...

...Well, whatever. I can't be late for work.

I open my eyes and find myself lying on my belly on the grass in my apartment's backyard. Yeah, I helped the landlady bring some life back in her dying garden. What can I say? I love nature. I just find it weird that I've slept outside...

And then the low mixture of different voices reach my ears. Now that's even weirder. Excluding the landlady, I'm usually the first one to wake up this early in the morning. Wait...today _is_ Monday, right? Gah! I don't want to wake up and get ready only to find out that it's Sunday. That happened before, and I was not amused.

The other _rentees_ , as I like to call them, usually are up all Saturday night 'til Sunday morning. So it's still Sunday today, right? But my internal clock is saying otherwise.

...Why am I still lying here? I need to trust my instinct and get ready! I push myself up and—! Those aren't my hands. Nope, definitely not hands...

...Right... I still must be drea—sigh... No, I'm not. This is real, as far as I can tell. Yay, I turned into a pony... A brown-coated...pony.

As a brony—and yes, I watch _that_ show—I should, I dunno, be happy? I've read a lot of these kinds of fanfics before, and while the idea of 'suddenly waking up in Equestria' is fun, I...don't find it fun. Yeah, it's fun to read these kinds of fics, but that's just it; reading. Well, another brony might say otherwise, but I guess I'm one of those _boring_ guys that I'm sure Pinkie would _love_ to try and make me _unboring_...

I'm not going to deal with the questions of how I got here and blahblahblah. I'm just gonna find somebo—somepony, ask for where Twilight is, ask for her help, Celestia comes in, and then I get sent back home. Yay! Or maybe this is Discord's doing. I like that dude, but I don't think I'll be able to say the same thing if I do end up talking to him directly.

I stand up properly and see a few darker brown lines of hair in front of my eyes. So I guess I have dark brown mane, too. That goes for the tail as well, right? A quick look and, yep, dark brown. A quick head check, and nope, no horn. A quick glance on my sides again (I dunno why I didn't check when I was looking at my tail) and nope, no wings. So I guess I'm an Earth Pony. I guess nature realized how much I love her work that she decided to tell this world's nature to turn me into an Earth Pony. I'm...flattered, I guess?

Well, since I'm in Equestria for reasons I don't want to find out, those voices must be from other ponies. ...Or griffons. ...Or minotaurs. I look around and see a lot of trees in my surroundings. I must be on the edge of some forest if I can hear voices outside the trees. "Please be ponies, please be ponies, I'm not in the Everfree Forest, right? Oh, and please be ponies, please be ponies—" I keep on muttering in a low voice as I get closer to the outside worl...trees.

Don't ask how I can walk...or trot. I've read enough fics to know that I should never pay attention to my hooves while trotting, or else I'll stumble and fall and make a fool of myself. The latter's only applicable if someone's watching.

Anyway, I walk out of the line of trees and sigh in relief as I see the many ponies walking around...a flat and green plane. I blink and look around. I see no houses nor other structures in this flat grass land.

"Hello there," a manly voi—er...stallion...ny(?) voice reaches my ears and I turn to see a smiling...pony a few paces away from me. Reason why I'm not sure if this guy's a pony is because, heck, I'm a pony, right? He's just...tall. Super duper tall! And oh, he has a white coat and a brown mane and tail. Anyway, the tall dude excuses himself from his other tall guy friends and trots over to me. "Never seen you 'round this part of the pasture. You new?"

I blink as he stands in front of me. And I really need to tilt my head up just to make eye contact. Damn this horse is tal—oh, oh! He's a horse! And I'm a pony, a small horse. Oh...okay... Oh wait, he asked me a question. "Uh, yeah. Um...hi?" I say with a small smile. "I'm looking for uh, Twilight. Is she around?"

He blinks at me, his smile faltering a bit. "Twilight?" He shakes his head, his long mane swaying left and right. "Can't say I've heard that name before. But judging from the sound of her name, I'd say she's a mare, right?" he asks with a sly grin.

I roll my eyes with an amused smirk. Well, it's obvious that she's not here. She lives in Ponyville, not in some...pasture. Speaking of... "Oh, all right. Say uh..." I tear my gaze off of him and look around the...pasture. And now that I am looking at it again, I can now see ponies and horses in pairs, groups or by their lonesome, chatting or _grazing_ on the grass! Like...cows and horses back home. I think I already know the answer for the question I'm about to ask, but... "...w-where do you guys sleep?"

He replies after five or so seconds. "...Uh, around."

Figures. I sigh and look up at him again. Yeah, he's looking at me as if I've hit my head or something. "Last question."

"Shoot."

"Do you know where Ponyville is?"

Aaaaaand I'll take his blank expression as a _'wtf are you talking about?'_ Let's try again.

"Um... Canterlot?"

Nope. He just blinks at me.

I let out another sigh. "Well, thanks anyway."

I turn around and am about to walk away when he decides to say something. "Well..." I turn back to look at him. He brings a large hoof to his chin as he turn his head to the green field. "I don't really know a lot of stuff, especially stuff beyond our pasture." He brings his hoof back down as he looks at me with a smile. "Maybe you should ask the harvesters."

"Harvesters?"

He nods his head. "Yep." He brings back his hoof to his chin. "Technically, they're the ones bringing a few of our harvests to the winged ones, but we've been calling them harvesters anyway." He shrugs.

I blink. "So...I should ask the harvesters... Why?"

"Well," he says, bringing his hoof back down again. Oh, the reason why I'm paying some attention to that hoof of his is because it's freaking big and he might suddenly smack me with it. I've learned to be more careful to anyone I ever talk to in the city. "They're the ones who are always leaving the pasture to offer our harvests to the winged ones. So they may know something that might help you look for this mare of yours," and he finishes it with a wink.

I roll my eyes again. "Uh, yeah. Thanks." I nod my head anyway. "So," I look back at the pasture. "Where are they?"

"Around." He chuckles.

I stifle a groan. "...Figures."

"Well, sorry that I couldn't be much help, outsider," he says as he turns and walks back to his buddies. "But good luck with your love search!"

I didn't bother to reply, since my eyes are locked on a pink pony in the middle of this vast green field surrounded by trees. "Pinkie Pie?" What is she doing here?

Well, whatever. If she's here, then I guess the others might be close by. If not, then I could probably ask (or beg) her to bring me to Ponyville. I smile. Yeah, I like that idea. The sooner I get out of here, the better.


	2. 1 - 02

The morning sun pokes out of the horizon as I walk through the pasture, my eyes on a certain bright pink pony up ahead. I pass by grazing, chatting and resting ponies and horses as I think about where I am. The air here is cool, fresh and soothing, but unfortunately, it isn't helping me with my thoughts.

Okay so, that pink pony up ahead is definitely not Pinkie Pie. Yes, it's not her. Why do I keep on hoping that it's her?

Why do I think that that pony isn't her? Well, the evidence is practically _everywhere._ No houses and ponies just...sleep on the ground. Also, that horse back there mentioned _'the winged ones'_ so I think those are pegasus ponies. So I guess it's safe to assume that I'm in the early days of Eques—

"Hello!"

"Gah!" I jump back, my heart racing as I stare at the...party pony who just now gave me a mini-heart attack. It's...Pinkie Pie... It's Pinkie Pie! Oh my gosh! It's _really_ Pinkie Pie! Oh, and by the way, her mane and tail are flat and straight for some reason.

"Pinkamena," a mare behind Pinkie calls her before she turns her attention to me. "Do you know him?"

The happy pink pony turns to her. "Well, duh!" she says, rolling her eyes. "Of course not!" She then turns to me, still holding that wide grin of hers. "So what's your name?"

Wow, she even sounds _and_ speaks like Pinkie Pie. Wait... Name... Ah, shoot... I didn't think of a good pony name. Well, I can always use my pony persona's name, but eh... "Jay." Yeah, that's my real name. It sounds cliché for these types of scenarios, but hey, at least I'm not Anon!

Pinkie is still grinning at me. The two other mares behind her are staring at me.

I blink. They blink. I blink again.

Finally, after a few more seconds of nothing, Pinkie's wide grin turns into a confused frown. "So...just Jay?"

Oh... They were probably waiting for me to add another word on my name. Like, Jay Pony or something. I try to smile, but I feel it's an awkward one. "Er...y-yeah. Just Jay."

"Oh, okay!" Pinkie chirps. She blinks and then her smile grows wider. "So Jay! How are you today? My sisters and I are a-okay! And—" and she snorts and falls on the ground, laughing.

I arch an eyebrow as her frien—er, sisters and I wait for her to finish her laughing fit. Eeyup, she's definitely Pinkie Pie. Wait, she said that those two mares are her sisters? I look at them, but they're still looking at their laughing-snorting sister. What are their names again? Inkie and Blinkie? Wait, no. Those are their fan-made names...I think. Gah... I only know Maud... Now that I think about it, where is Maud?

"Phew, whoo! I'm okay now." Pinkie stands back up and smiles at me. "So, Jay. Can I help you?"

Oh? No parties or an invitation to a party? Then again, we're not in Ponyville, so there's no reason for her to throw me a 'Welcome to Ponyville' party or something. Also, yay! I'm not in the early days of Equestria! "Well, do you know where Twilight is?"

"Twilight?" Pinkie repeats, arching an eyebrow.

I smile. "Yeah. You know, that purple unic—mrrf?!" Pinkie all so suddenly puts a pink hoof on my mouth, and I am **very** thankful that she is not as strong as what the fics I've read has said, else I think she would have knocked me unconscious by now.

"Shhhh!" she shh'es me, eyes narrowing. She whispers: "Don't say that word."

"'Unic' what?" one of her sisters ask me.

"Pinkamena," her other sister grabs her hoof and puts it back down on the ground. She gives her a scolding gaze for a few seconds before she turns to me with an apologizing smile. "I'm sorry about that. My sister could be very touchy sometimes. Could you finish what you were saying, um, Jay?"

I open my mouth but I see Pinkie nervously looking at me. "Uh... Just asking your sister if her um...'unique' friend Twilight's around."

"Unique?" she asks. "Unique how?"

"I uh," Pinkie says, earning her two sisters' attention. She sighs as her ears droop. "I told you not to say that word." She then turns to her sisters.

I arch an eyebrow. I thought that the word she didn't want me to say was 'unicorn.' Still though, I don't get it. Then again, Twilight kinda is a weird pony for being inside her home and studying all the time. Until she became a princess of course. So I guess that's what makes her unique? Is 'unique' a bad word to use here? I know Rarity uses that word to describe something that screams 'I am a horrible product of fashion.'

"Hello?"

I blink and see a pink hoof waving in front of me. "Oh! Uh... Sorry! I um...was thinking about...something."

"We'll be leaving you two alone then," one of her sisters says with a smile. She turns and leaves, the other mare following close behind.

Pinkie watches her sisters leave for a few seconds before she turns to me with a...serious look on her face. "Just so you know," she pauses as she looks around. Afterwards, she looks back at me. "I'm not friends with Twilight."

I blink. "...What?" I blink again. "Uh... We're...talking about the same unico—"

"Shhh!"

I flinch. "W-what?"

She shakes her head and then looks around for a few seconds before she turns to me. "Okay, I understand that you're not from here, so I'm going to give you an advice; don't say the _unicorn_ word here." She looks around again, as if making sure that no one has heard her say the 'forbidden word of the pasture.' After she is satisfied, she sits down like a dog and taps the green earth in front of her.

I suppose it means that I should sit down as well, so I nod and sit down. "I thought the _forbidden word_ was 'unique?'"

She blinks. "What? Ah, well, no."

"Oh." I nod. "Okay, I guess. So uh... Twilight?"

She shakes her head. "Sorry, but I don't know anything about her."

I blink. I don't get it. "But why? You two are friends...right?"

She raises an eyebrow. "Since when?"

I blink again. "...L-let's go back a few steps, is that all right?"

She shrugs.

"Well, you're Pinkie Pie, right?"

"Yep. But ponies call me Pinkamena all the time."

"Oh, okay. So... Do you know who Twilight Sparkle is?"

She shakes her head. "I don't _know her_ know her. I only heard about her from other ponies."

I blink again. I can't help it... Things just aren't making sense at the moment. "Okay, so... You don't know her _personally._ "

"Nope!"

"Then do you know anypony who might know her? As in _knows her_ knows her."

She taps her chin with a hoof as she thinks about it. She later shakes her head. "I don't know. I've only heard about her from other ponies in other pastures. Sometimes from the winged ponies. Well, maybe the unicorns might now."

"Riiight. About that..." I look around and I see ponies aren't paying us any attention. "Well, can you tell me why I'm not allowed to say the bleep word?"

She arches an eyebrow. "Bleep word?"

"You know," I say as I circle a hoof in the air. You know, for emphasis. "The uni _bleep_ word."

She blinks. A few seconds later, her eyes slowly grows wide, realizing what I mean. "Oh! _That_ word!" She giggles. "Well, it's because the _bleep_ ponies are super mean to us."

"Oh?"

"And by mean, I mean super duper 'throw rocks at us' mean!"

I blink. "Uh... You're kidding, right?"

"Nope!" She stands up, turns around and flicks her tail aside.

As a gentleman ( _cough cough_ ) I don't stare at a woman's...erm...'gifts' but thankfully, or unthankfully, a nasty scar on Pinkie's thigh is preventing me from looking at her private parts. And it's a nasty looking scar that made me involuntarily flinch.

"Yep. That bad."

"Ouchness, Pinkie," I say as she turns around and sits in front of me again. "I can't imagine how...painful that is..."

"Yup!" she smiles. "Happened a few moons ago."

Moons?

"We never went back there ever again. I mean, we offer them our harvests in exchange for a few magic gems, but _noooooo_ , they _have_ to throw rocks at us as we leave!" She angrily tosses her head to the side and spits on the ground. She glares at her own spit. "Well, too bad for you _bleeping bleepers_! You aren't getting any of our harvests in like, forever!"

"Okay, okay! Calm down, Pinkie," I say, reaching out and tapping her shoulder. She closes her eyes and takes deep breaths to calm herself. "I'm...sorry to make you remember an unpleasant memory."

"Nah," she says, smiling at me as I pull my hoof back. "It wasn't unpleasant. It was usually fun to run away from their rock storm. Well, it _was_ fun until I got hit." She shrugs.

And from the looks of her scar, I don't think the unicorns were just throwing those rocks with their hooves. Nope. It looked like they were using their magic as cannons and the rocks as cannonballs.

"So we ponies here never mention the _bleeps_ because it ruins everypony's moods, you know?"

I nod my head lamely. "I see. Well, I'll try my best not to mention the _bleep._ "

She smiles and nods.

"So...can I ask another question."

"Sure! Why not?"

"Well..." If she doesn't know who Twilight is, then maybe... "Do you know where Celestia is? Or Luna?"

She blinks. "What's that?"

"Never mind." I sigh... What kind of Equestria am I in, anyway? "By the way, Pinkie."

"Hm?"

"You live in Ponyville, right?"

She arches an eyebrow. "Uh, no. I live here."

...Well, fudge.

"And you're sitting on the spot where my mom foaled me."

I arch an eyebrow. "Well, you told me to sit on this spot."

She pouts. "Aw... Stallions usually jump and apologize if I mention that."

Well, too bad. I stick my tongue out at her and she pouts some more.


	3. 1 - 03

Pinkie Pie invites me to join her for breakfast. And by breakfast, she means that we eat the _grass_ around us.

"Uhhh..." I uhhh as I watch her chew the grass she just pulled off the ground with her mouth. She's also eating the roots _and_ the dirt! I make a face as she swallows what she was eating.

"Mm..." she licks her lips and looks down at the grass. "I always love breakfast! The morning dew that clung on the blades of grass always makes the grass taste delicious!"

I'm not too sure if all those are morning dew if everypony sleeps on it... And by the way, Pinkie's sisters are back, eating the grass close by.

"You should try some!"

"Er..." I force a smile. "N-no thanks. I'm...not that hungry anyway..." And then my tummy says otherwise. What can I say? Seeing others eat while I haven't eaten anything makes me hungry.

"Really?" she asks. "Huh... I thought that was your belly yelling that its hungry."

"It was just your imagination," I say as I start to leave. This pasture is surrounded by trees, so maybe there are fruit-bearing trees around. I hope. Also, Pinkie just...lets me leave. Aw well...

Hm... So Pinkie Pie and her sisters live here, and she doesn't know what Ponyville is, and she doesn't know who Twilight or Celestia _or Luna_ are. This is a problem. And here I thought I could go back home much faster. I guess I'm wro—no. I'm going home, and I'll find a way.

But... What is this world, anyway? It's not the same Equestria I've seen from the show. Well, there's Pinkie Pie, and most likely Twilight's here as well. But that's it. Only the ponies are the same. Where are the houses? The castle? ...Fluttershy's cottage?

I take a deep breath and let out a sigh through my pony nostrils. So, I guess it's safe to assume that the ponies here do not know how to build houses and other structures. I look around and stare at the many different ponies and horses. I think I'm just going to generally call them 'ponies' now because of lazy. Anyway, none of them have any Cutie Marks either. I look at my thigh and nope, no Cutie Mark.

...Maybe I'm in an alternate universe. An alternate Equestria... An alternate timeli—

And my tummy reminds me of something _more_ important, so I go back to walking towards the edge of the pasture.

"Howdy!"

And if I am not hearing things, it seems that Applejack's here as well. I turn around, blink and _eeyup_ , that orange mare who's approaching me definitely is Applejack, but without the hat and the strings that tie her mane into a ponytail. Applejack is best pony, but this Applejack is weird pony, but still best pony.

"So you're the new pony that I heard about," she says. "Name's Applejack. I heard from the Pie sisters that you're Jay?"

I smile. At least she still has her lovable accent. "Yeah."

"Weird name for a pony, if I do say so myself."

Aaand I'm frowning now. Applejack is no longer best pony.

"Uh," she smiles awkwardly. "No offense there, sugar cube."

She calls me a sugar cube! Applejack is best pony! "None taken," I say with a smile.

Reason why I'm not _squeeing_ like an idiot is because I'm cool like that. Hahah, no, I was just kidding. Real reason is because I've learned to control myself. Being the eldest, my parents have taught me to behave and all that boring stuff. I'll spare you the details.

And then my tummy decides to introduce itself.

Applejack chuckles while I smile nervously. "Looks like somepony's hungry. Care to join me for breakfast?"

Another frown is threatening to break the small smile on my face. "U-uh... No thanks..." I turn my head down and stare on the grass. "I'm...I don't like grass?"

Applejack chuckles. "Heh, that makes the two of us."

"Oh?" I look up at her, and I feel my ears standing in attention. It feels strange.

"Yeah. I dunno when I decided to hate grass." She shrugs. "I guess I wanted to try and eat something different."

"Let me guess," I grin. "Apples."

"Heheh. I guess my name gives it away, huh?" She gestures with her head, pointing at the trees on the edge of the pasture. She leads the way, me following close behind. "You know, it's really nice to meet another pony who hates grass like me."

Not sure how to respond to that.

"Of course, I only hate _eating_ the stuff. But I love lying on it and sleep on it like every other pony."

And I still don't know what to say to that. Now, normally, in conversations like this one where I don't know what to say, I just stay quiet and smile or nod to let the one who's talking know that I'm still listening and still paying attention. Applejack is looking ahead, so I feel the need to say something. "I...can relate." ...Hey, it's something.

"You all right there, sugar cube?" she asks. "Or are you a quiet type?"

We reach the line of trees, but Applejack walks on, so I follow. "Yeah, I usually am."

She chuckles. "Ah. You're like my brother then. Then again, maybe not. I swear, I sometimes think that 'eeyup' and 'eenope' are the only words that stallion knows."

"Come now, that's a bit harsh," I say.

"Well, it's true!" she says as she stops in front of a tree and turn around to face me. Well, I thought she turned around to face me, but instead she turn her head over her shoulder, takes aim, and gives the tree a kick, causing the said tree to shake and—

"Ow!" an apple falls on my head. First time experiencing an apple falling on my head, and I do not want to experience that again.

"Oops, sorry about that," she says as the last of the few apples fall on the ground around us. She grabs an apple with her mouth. Er, no. She bites and eats an apple while it is still on the ground. "Mm..."

I blink at her. She's not using her hooves to eat? Then again, Pinkie Pie and her sisters didn't as well. I raise my hoof, turn it and stare at my, uh, underhoof? For hands, it's called palms. I dunno what it's called for ponies. Wait, I remember a few fics that it's called a 'crook' or 'inner hoof' or 'frog' or something. Sigh... Where's my English major brother when I needed him?

"You don't like apples?" she asks before taking another bite.

"Ah, no," I quickly reply, shaking my head. "I was...just thinking."

"About what, sugar cube?" she asks in between chews.

Sheesh. My mom always told me not to speak when my mouth is full. I look down and stare at the apple before me and...try to pick it up with my hoof. I've read a few fics that there's 'magic' in pony's hooves that 'magically magnetizes' stuff on it so we can hold stuff. Aaand nope, I press a hoof on the apple, and it's not sticking on my hoof.

"What are you doing?"

"...Trying to make a fool of myself," I sigh as I sit down. I pick the apple up with both my front hooves, pull it closer to my pony mouth and start to eat it.

"Hey," Applejack smiles. "That's some fancy way of eating."

"Uh...thanks—" and derp, I spoke while my mouth was full! My mom's gonna be so angry with me...

And then I hear faint _swooshing_ noises up above. I look up and, through the large gaps between the sea of leaves, I see low-hanging clouds quickly passing by, and of course, those clouds are being pushed by a number of pegasus ponies.

I hear a sigh. I look back at Applejack and see her fixing her glaring eyes above.

"Well, it's about time those airheads delivered the rain clouds," she says angrily as she stands up. She looks at me, trying to mask her scowl. "Well, sorry 'bout that, sugar cube. But I need to get going before they decide to start the rain on the wrong spot again."

I nod in understanding as she walks pass me. Looks like she doesn't like pegasus ponies that much. I stand up on my four hooves and turn around. Pinkie mentioned that the pegasi might know something about Twilight, so I'll just ask them and hope that they know something.

And then my tummy growls. Fine, after a few more apples then.


	4. 1 - 04

It's not hard to know where the pegasus ponies are. Seriously, just a quick scan on the pasture and just find lots and lots of low-hanging clouds, and you find your target.

So I make my way over there. It's a little bit far away, but eh, I'll get there eventually. A few ponies are still around, but most of them are moving towards my destination as well. There's a big crowd of ponies up ahead, but thankfully, they're not standing too close to each other, so I walk and turn until I am now standing in front to get a better view of what's going on.

What I see before me are large patches of brown, fertile earth with different plants and vegetables growing on them. Some parts of the brown earth also has sticks and twigs where vine-like vegetables crawl on them. It's...a messy set-up, to be honest, but still nice to look at, at least, especially at how the pegasi jumps on cloud to cloud, creating small drizzles that rain on the crops.

...Now that I think about it, I wonder why I never noticed this patch of brown earth when I first got here. Aw well.

"All right, y'all," I turn and see Applejack waving a hoof at the pegasus ponies above. "That's enough water for the carrots. Why don't you move that rain cloud over to the radishes next?"

And then a familiar awesome pegasus pony swoops down and hovers in front of best pony. And oh, the awesome pegasus has an annoyed look on her face. "And _where_ exactly are the radishes?"

"Right over there," Applejack replies, pointing at where the rainwater is falling. "Just don't make it rain on the carrots."

Rainbow Dash stares at the radishes and carrots for a few more seconds before she turns her angry face to the earth pony. "Seriously?! You _literally_ planted them on the same spot!"

"I didn't plant them like that, sugar cube."

"And how the hay are we supposed to rain on _only_ the radishes?"

Applejack shrugs. "You're asking the wrong pony there, sugar cube."

"Arrgggh!" Rainbow Dash touches down in front of best pony and glares at her. "You guys are making this hard for us! And you're doing it on purpose!"

"Either you do it or you won't get any carrots in the next delivery."

Awesome pony's eye twitches twice. "You...! Grrr...! All right, fine!" She flies up and tells a few pegasus ponies to stop making it rain on a specific spot, and then gives them some sort of instructions with wild hoof gestures if I'm seeing it correctly.

The pegasus ponies who are listening to Dash's instructions let out groans of annoyance as they fly and grab clouds, scattering them and...making a smaller bunch of clouds by punching them while in the air. They grab one or two small clouds and flies low, asking a few earth ponies where the radishes are before they place small clouds on top of it.

"There," Rainbow Dash touches down in front of Applejack. "Happy?"

"Eeyup." Applejack smiles smugly. "Do save some for the fruit trees over there, ya hear? Oh! And uh," she turns around and points at the direction where the apple trees are located. "The apple trees could use some water as well."

Rainbow Dash closes her eyes and takes a deep, deep breath, holds it in for a few seconds, and sighs a heavy sigh. She opens her eyes and glares at the earth pony in front of her. "You said you only needed a 'bunch' of clouds. We didn't bring that many clouds here for your trees, _dirtpony_."

Applejack shrugs. "Well, all right. Just don't expect we bring you guys fruits ne—"

"All right, fine!" Rainbow Dash snarls before zooming up and calling the other pegasi's attentions.

While Rainbow Dash is giving them new sets of instructions, I can't help but notice Applejack's smug smile as I walk towards her. I see her ear twitch before she turns to me, her smug smile turning into a more genuine one. "Ah, hey there, Jay. You finished eating?"

"Yeah," I nod. "Thanks for the apples, by the way."

She waves a hoof. "Nah, don't mention it, sugar cube."

"So uh..." I say as she returns her gaze on the busy pegasi above. "I can't help but notice that you're, like, the boss around here."

"You could say that," she nods her head without looking at me. "At least, the boss in handling our crops, for I'm the one who checks them. Well," she turns to me, "a few other ponies do too, but I guess I'm the only pony who can tell how much water the plants need to grow properly."

"Oh." Let's pretend that I get it. "I see."

She arches an eyebrow. "...Really?"

I feel my ears droop as I smile awkwardly. "Er...yes?"

"Huh, well alrighty then." She looks back up at the pegasi.

I look up as well, watching a bunch of them carrying a few clouds over to the different fruit trees a paces away from us. "I...also can't help but notice that you... _enjoy_ bossing them around."

"Huh?" Applejack blinks as she turns to me. "What do you mean?"

"Well," I turn and frown at her. "It looks to me that you're making their, um, jobs a little difficult."

She immediately shakes her head. "It's not my fault that the ponies planted the crops the way they are right now."

"But I thought you said—"

"I said that I only check how much water they need, sugar cube. I don't plant them," she says with a small glare. "I'm handling the trees. My brother and I, I mean." She points with a hoof.

I follow the direction of her hoof, and in the distance I see a familiar red stallion around the banana trees, who is probably saying something to the pegasi who are handling the rain showers over there.

I feel a cool gust of air blowing towards me as Rainbow Dash lands in front of us. "Okay, I think your stupid crops are soaked good," she says as she glares at her. "Now where are your apple trees again so we can rain on them and be on our way?"

"I led you there far too many times already."

RD shakes her head. "You guys aren't the only ponies we deliver rain clouds, you know. What? You think you guys are special?"

"Perhaps," AJ says with a grin. "I remember that we're the only ones who deliver you winged _freaks_ good carrots _and_ apples." She turns around with a chuckle and walks away. "Now follow me."

Rainbow is fuming, but I am really, _really_ surprised that she isn't shouting or anything.

I give her a small and apologetic smile as I bring my hoof to tap her shoulder. "Hey uh, I'm sorry about Ap—"

She slaps my hoof away, and **damn** did it hurt! "Don't touch me, dirtball." Aaand she zooms up.

Ooowie... My poor hoof.

Wait...

I blink and quickly look up. "Wait! Rai—" She's gone. I blink and look back, and see the pegasi pushing the clouds towards the apple trees. I let out a sigh. Damn, I forgot to ask Dash about Twilight. Wait... I didn't even ask Applejack about Twilight! Since, well, since AJ's the one handling the trees, then maybe she's a harvester. Hm... Judging from the way AJ and RD interacted with each other, it seems that Applejack has already delivered apples and other stuff to the pegasus'...land, or pasture, or _area._ Whatever.

Also, hm... Pinkie said she also delivers their harvests to the unicorns. Does that make her a harvester, too?

"Any progress, bud?" I hear a familiar voice of a stallion. I turn and see the white horse walking towards me, his smile faltering. "Oh. Judging from your frown, it's a no then."

I'm frowning, but not because I didn't find Twilight yet. But eh. "Yeah..." I sigh. "You could say that." I look back to him. "Say. Is Big Mac a harvester, too?"

He blinks at me.

"Er... AJ's—I mean, Applejack's brother?"

"Ah," he says with a smile. "You mean Macintosh." He chuckles and shakes his head. "Twilight, and then Big Mac... Where on earth have you heard these weird names, bud?"

Uh, on _earth_ , duh.

"Anyway, yeah," Mister White Horse says with a nod. Yeah, since this is the second time I'm talking to him, I get to name him. "Macintosh is a harvester too, but," he turns to where Big Mac is. "He doesn't leave the pasture much. His sister never misses a delivery however, so you should go and ask her."

Yeah, but Big Mac's much closer than AJ at the moment.

Mister White Horse is looking around the crowd of chatting ponies. "Or I can call a few friends of mine around who are harvesters, if you want."

"Nah, it's all right." I'd rather talk to the ponies I'm familiar with than some unknown background ponies that I don't even know. ...And Mister White Horse, too. Anyway, Big Mac it is, then. "By the way, name's Jay."

He smiles and nods at me. "I've heard your name from a few ponies around." He brings a large hoof over his chest. "Name's White Horse."

... ... ...really?


	5. 1 - 05

Unlike Mister White Horse, Big Mac's shorter, but the red stallion is still taller than me. I watch the few remaining pegasus ponies above the fruit trees, hoping to see a familiar face, but nope, none of them are familiar. As they push the clouds away, I walk up to Big Mac who gives me a quick glance before he returns his attention to the trees.

"Hello," I greet him with a smile as I stop a few paces away from him. "You're Big M—er, you're Macintosh, right?"

"Eeyup," he says without tearing his gaze from the greens. Er, I mean oranges. They're still green in color, so I suppose they're still unripe oranges. It's a little weird to see Big Mac working on orange trees. No offense to any oranges out there.

Anyway... "I hear you're a harvester?"

"Eeyup."

I smile and nod. "Nice. I'm Jay, and I'm not from around here," or from this world. "It's nice to meet you."

"Eeyup."

My smile falters a bit. "...So you've been outside this pasture before, right?"

"Eeyup."

"Delivering crops to other ponies?"

"Eeyup."

I'm starting to think that AJ was right about her brother. "...Uh, so have you heard about a pony named Twilight?"

"Eey..." he blinks, and blinks again. After a few seconds, he turns to me with...wow, he has a good poker face. "...Eeyup."

I sigh with a smile. "Nice. Okay, so I'm looking for her, you see. Do you know where she is?"

"Ee—"

I hold my breath.

"—nope."

And this is why I should never let my hopes up. It hurts when it crashes down on me. I feel my ears droop as I frown. "...Oh. Uh, okay." Damn. I'm kinda tempted to ask if he knows Smarty Pants. Hm... Nah. "So uh, do you know anything about her that might help me find her?"

He blinks at me. "...Eenope."

And my frown goes further down. "I...see... Well, uh, thanks, and sorry to disturb you, Macintosh sir." I give him a small nod before I turn around and slowly walk away.

Sigh... I guess I better go and see Applejack.

* * *

"Why the long face?"

Or Pinkie Pie. That works too, I guess. Also, that was a _baaad_ joke coming from you, Pinkie, yet it manage to make me smile a bit. "Eh, just thinking about something..." I shake my head a bit. "Don't worry about it."

She frowns. "If you say so." She then gives me a small smile of her own. "So... How's your little love search going?"

I let out a sigh.

"That bad, eh?" She shrugs. "Well, you obviously are looking for her in the wrong place."

"I know, I know," I say with a nod. "I'm just...looking for some leads that'll tell me where to go."

"Well, if you're _reeeaaally_ dead-set on looking for her, then why don't you go and ask in other pastures?" She shrugs again. "Or just go to the _bleep_ ponies."

I let out a small chuckle. I have already forgotten about our _bleep_ word. "Well, that's the thing," I say as my smile turns into a frown. "I...don't know how to get to other, um, pastures."

She blinks at me, her smile turning into a straight line. "...What?" She arches an eyebrow. "That doesn't make sense."

I blink in return. "Uh...why?"

Now she's looking at me as if I suddenly turned into a unico—oh, I think I already know where this is going... "Because you're obviously from somewhere. Some other pasture that I haven't gone to yet." She shrugs. "As strange as this might sound—"

Oh, trust me, Pinkie. The show has mentally prepared me for your crazy antics. Which you disappointingly lack in this world.

"—you carry the scent of your home that we haven't visited yet. And we've traveled and traded our harvest with other pastures close by. That only means that you're from a far-away land, which also means you've visited other pastures _before_ you got here," and she finishes her explanation with a big grin.

I smile at her. She's strangely intelligent to be Pinkie, but hey, it's Pinkie. I shouldn't question it. "So... If I visited other pastures before, does that mean that I get to 'catch' their scent on me?"

Pinkie blinks. "Well, yeah." She smiles. "Oh! You're doubting me, aren't ya? Well!" She suddenly puts her muzzle on my neck, making me freeze and hold my breath in shock-surprise. The next thing I know, her face is no longer on my neck, but on a more _respectable_ distance. Oh, and she is frowning at me. "...That's strange."

I blink as I begrudgingly start manual breathing. I know breathing is automatic, but I find it annoying that it turns into manual mode if I accidentally take notice of it. Le sigh... Oh, right, Pinkie. Derp, I forgot what she said. "Uh...what?"

"You..." she points a pink hoof at me. "...only have your strange home's scent and our pasture's..."

I flash her a lame smile. "Er, yeah. I did tell you that I haven't been to any other pastures yet."

"But," she frowns at me. "It doesn't make sense!"

Stop talking like Twilight! That's her line!

She shrugs. "Eh, whatever. Big world and all of its big list of mysteries, I guess?" She smiles at me. "Well, if you really don't know how to get somewhere, why don't you join us tomorrow in our delivery?"

Huh. I guess that works. But wait. "Tomorrow?"

She nods her head. "Yep! We're gonna harvest the crops we need to deliver later before the moon comes up so we can deliver them just before the sun wakes up! We're gonna be delivering a lot if I remember it correctly. Let's see... There's gonna be lettuce, eggplants, potat—mrf?"

I ever so gently press my hoof over her mouth. Hey, I know my hoof's probably dirty from all of my walking, but she ate the dirt that clung on the roots of the grass, so whatever. Wait... About that... "Pinkie..." I say as I put my hoof down.

"Hm?"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but," I say as I look at a few ponies around. "Ponies don't usually _pull_ the grass and eat it as well as its _roots,_ right?"

Pinkie blinks and shrugs. "Yeah, I guess so. But what can I say? I like the flavor of the roots."

I think the flavor you're talking about are the dirt on the roots, but whatever. "Well, uh anyway, I ah uh, appreciate the offer," I say as I frown. "But, um, tomorrow?"

She nods with a smile. "Yep! Tomorrow! Before the sun comes up!" She then looks around. "If you're worried about where to sleep, well," she looks back to me, "you can sleep wherever! We share our territories with everypony around here. Just..." she leans closer to whisper, "...don't sleep right next to couples. They tend to get _really_ touchy sometimes."

That's something, coming from 'touchy' Pinkie.

"And loud."

I shake my head. I don't need that mental image right now.

She pouts. "Wow... You're a difficult stallion, you know that? I can get others to smile or blush when I said that line last."

I sigh. Sorry, Pinks, but I don't feel like laughing or whatever at the moment... "C-can't you guys..."

Wait... Why am I asking them to deliver now? Why am I gonna ask them to help me in the first place? This...this is my problem, and I shouldn't drag anyone else with me. That would be selfish of me.

"Pinkie."

"Yeah?"

"Can you tell me where...the _bleep_ ponies are?"

She blinks at me. "Uh, why?"

"I need to go there," I say. "Twilight's a _bleep_ , so the _bleep_ ponies might know where she is."

"Uh... Did you forget that scar I showed you?"

I blink. "Er, well, yes." I blink again. "Wait. Earlier, you suggested that I should go to the _bleeps._ "

She shrugs. "I wasn't serious about that." She then frowns at me. "And you _still_ want to go there?"

I nod my head. "I need to find Twilight, Pinkie. You said so yourself that you guys no longer give them your food, so tomorrow, you guys won't be going there, right?" I took a breath and sigh. "I need to see her as soon as possible."

Because I can't stay here for far too long.


	6. 1 - 06

I am heading north. Pinkie told me that the unicorns live near the base of the northern mountains. Isn't it cold up there? Bleah, I dunno, and I should stop thinking that this world is the same as in the show.

...Yeah, I've been repeating that line for a number of times now. I can't help it though. I've read a lot of _aitch ay ee_ fics where the protagonists find themselves in the _real_ Equestria, not in this...low-budget version of Equestria.

Sigh... I really should stop thinking like this... And why am I narrating everything in my head anyway? It's not as if someone out there in the big, wide universe is _mentally_ listening to me anyway. Bleah, whatever...

Anyway, I am walking on the forest path. It's not a straight path though. Often times, it curves or sharply turns left or right and stays that way for a few yards before it turns back north again. Tall trees and shrubbery are on the side of the earthen path, providing me enough shade from the sun that's already high above in the sky. It also provides a good hiding place for...um...

Well, before I left the pasture, Pinkie Pie has warned me that the path isn't safe to travel alone, because of... _predators._ There are predators in this world! That _eats **ponies!**_ And damn, I actually felt my pupils shrunk when she told me that. But, here I am now, stupidly walking on this path despite her warnings and pleas. So far, I don't see any predators around, but that didn't help push my nervousness away. Besides, I already know that there's going to be one that's going to pop-up soon and try to kill me. That's how these kinds of fics go, right? _Le sigh..._

As I walk, I keep on thinking of ways to defend myself if ever danger does show up. ...And the only thing I have that _might_ help me are my hooves. No, I ain't planning on using these little hooves of mine to buck whatever tries to eat me. Nope. I'm gonna use these little hooves to run away and hope to outrun whatever and not to stumble and fall on the ground like an idiot. I'm a pony, right? Ponies are part of the horse family, and horses are fast runners. Yeah, that's the only thing that's helping me continue trekking this path.

The harvesters are going to another pasture to maybe trade some goods with the other ponies. That's tomorrow, and currently, the sun has yet to reach the zenith. I cannot wait that long. Plus, Pinkie has told me that they aren't going to the unicorns, so what's the purpose of me joining them?

I need to find Twilight as soon as possible. Pinkie told me that the journey towards the unicorns' place is at least two days, with sleep during the night and the crops they carry slowing them down. So since I'm not bringing anything, and I'm alone, and I ain't sleeping to become an easy meal, I think can keep a quick and steady pace towards my destination.

...How are the ponies gonna carry their crops anyway? I didn't see any wagons or boxes or crates back there. Eh...

Anyway, I can handle a day being absent from work. I'll just file a sick leave or an emergency leave and think of an excuse that's believable. Two days, well, I can handle that too, I think. But beyond that? No, I can't be gone in my world that long. My mom will be visiting me in my place on Wednesday, or rather, on Tuesday evening. And when she finds out that I'm not there, well... Let's just say that she tends to overreact...a little.

I shake my head. No! I'm going home. And I _will!_ Just keep walking. Just keep walking. At least the birds are chirping. If birds are chirping, it means predators aren't around, right? Or the birds didn't notice yet.

Nope! Don't think like that! Just keep walking.

* * *

So walking on four hooves takes a lot of energy, especially if you've been walking for an hour or two. Yeah, the sun's already on the zenith, so it's noon or around noon now. Thankfully, the leaves shield me from the harsh sun's rays.

I've been walking on a quick pace and my hooves are starting to hurt. And I'm starting to get hungry. As I continue walking, I look around, trying to spot a fruit or two for me to eat, but nope, I can't find any fruits around. I don't think these tall trees can bear fruits anyway.

And I don't want to try my luck on the bushes. Pinkie told me that Timberwolves sleep during the day, while camouflaging themselves as small trees or even bushes, and when they feel an unsuspecting prey trying to eat their leaves or their _fruit baits_ , well, it'll bite them, and eat them.

I need a drink. I don't remember drinking back in the pasture, and I'm starting to regret it. Wait... All I saw back there was green! Where do those ponies get water anyway? Do the pegasi also deliver them drinkable water? Damn, those earth ponies are lazy and dependent on the pegasi. If they decide to stop giving them rain clouds, well—

Hm? I feel my ears twitch as I hear the faint sound of running water. Then again, finding water here should have been obvious. I mean, Pinkie _did_ mention that the harvesters delivering crops to the unicorns needed to sleep. So it's safe to assume that they make camp around the water.

I can already feel my throat becoming dry and I just now noticed that despite my ouchie hooves, I've quicken my pace some more. As I continue moving, the sounds of water is getting louder. After a few more minutes of walking on the curved path, I finally see a calm and wide stream that broke the path. I run towards the stream and quickly slow down when I realize that I'm going too fast. Soon, I stop on the edge of the stream and lean my head down to...stare at my exhausted expression.

How am I suppose to drink? How do horses drink? Ah, whatever. I just dip my mouth and suck the water and hope for the best. As I drink, I realize that my nostrils are also submerged, so I try to take a few more drinks before I pull my head back. Aaand manual breathing again... Sigh...

Ah, whatever. At least I'm no longer thirsty. I look around, hoping to see something to eat, but all I see are green, green and a few birds and a deer by the stream. Wait...deer? I don't really read the pony comics, but I do try and keep up with the goings on in there, and I remember that deers can talk and have cities of their own. Not sure about the cities part, but whatever.

"Hello," I say as I slowly walk towards the deer, or a doe, since it's a female deer. ...I almost sang that song in my head.

Anyway, the deer looks like a young adult deer, and has no ho—er, I mean antlers, so it's female, right? Although she has two little stubs on her head where deer antlers should be if she was a male deer. She's lying on the grassy ground by the stream and pulls her head up to look at me.

I stop a few paces away from her and put on my best, natural smile. "Um, hello?"

She stares at me for a second or two before she gives me a nod. "Hello to you, too, pony."

Whew. She's friendly. It makes my smile grow wider. "I'm sorry to bother you, miss, but um," brain, I know it's weird to talk to a deer, so we'll discuss that later, "am I...uh..." I turn and point a hoof to the direction where I'm heading. "Will that path take me to the unicorns?"

I turn back to her in time to see her shrug. "Pony, I've been living in this woods ever since I was born. And never once did I see that path carry anydeer over to the unicorns."

... ... ...

She snickers. "I'm just kidding. Sorry."

"...Eheheh...ehh..." Riiight...

She sighs with a small smile. "I'm not really good with jokes. Sorry about that."

"Oh, I'm not good at it either," I say. "But, um, I'm kinda in a hurry, so the road?"

She nods and turns her head towards the path on the other side of the stream. "Yes. If you continue to trot that path, you'll reach the rocky lands of the hornie ponies, or _unicorns_ as your kind liked to call them."

...Hor—I'm gonna pretend that I heard that incorrectly.

She slowly stands up on her dainty and pointed legs and stretches like a cat. "Ahh," she says as she stands up properly. She's a little shorter than me, but eh. She turns to the stream and jumps _jumps jumps_ over the rocks that were poking through the water's surface and she reaches the other side in two seconds flat. She turns around and arches an eyebrow. "...Pony, are you going to just stand there?"

"Uh, no," I reply with a blink. I look at the rocks on the stream, and then at the streambed. This is a shallow stream, so I don't need to step on the rocks and risk slipping. So I walk through the stream, smiling as the cool water soothes my aching hooves.

"Typical ponies," the deer says, rolling her emerald eyes with a smile.

Oh... About that... "Um, why are you waiting for me over there?" I ask as I continue walking through the stream.

She shrugs, her small tail wagging a bit. "I'm taking you there. I got nothing else to do at the moment anyway."

I frown as I reach the other side of the stream. "But I didn't ask you to. And you don't have to," I tell her as I shake the water off of my hooves.

She rolls her eyes again. "Sorry, pony, but you can't tell me what to do." She looks down and glares on the green ground between us. "I'm tired of getting told what to do," she mutters under her breath, but I still heard it.

I blink at her.

She slightly shakes her head, turns and faces the path ahead. "If I want to take you there, then I will," she says with a nod. "It's about time I start making my own decisions in life."

Right. I can relate to that to some extent. But if bigger things come my way and I need to make a choice, I'm too afraid to decide on the spot. I'll first think of the pros and cons, call my mom for her opinion, ask a few friends, and etcetera.

...Being turned into a pony and me deciding to find Twilight despite the dangers doesn't count. ...I think.

I let out a sigh as the deer turns back to face me. "What if I don't want you to come with me?"

She shrugs. "Then I'll follow you, or trot ahead of you. I won't leave you unless a lynx or a boar shows up."

...Right. Two is better than one, I suppose. "Well, alright, I guess," I say as I walk on the path, the deer following close behind. Well, if she really wants to come along, then I guess we should at least know each other. "Name's Jay, by the way."

"Jay what?" she asks me.

I turn my head to give her my confused look. "What do you mean?"

She shrugs. "Well, you ponies have weird names, like Rock Eater or Leaf Turner. It's always What What. So what's your name?"

I frown. "Uh, Jay. My name's Jay. Just Jay," and I finish it with a small albeit awkward smile.

She blinks at me. "Just Jay, huh? Well, that's a first."

I shrug.

She shrugs. "I'll call you Jay Pony then."

...wat.

"Sienna. My name's Sienna."

I nod. "Well, nice to meet you, Sienna _Deer_."

She rolls her eyes. "Just call me Sienna, Jay Pony."

"I'll stop calling you Sienna Deer if you stop calling me Jay Pony."

She rolls her eyes again but didn't say anything.

I turn my attention ahead and listen to the birds chirping on the trees above.

"So why are you going to the hornie ponies?"

I cringe. I get the feeling that she doesn't know the _human meaning_ of that word... I doubt anyone in this world does... "Well, I'm looking for someone." I also get a feeling that she doesn't like the silence.

"Really?" she sounds really curious. "Who? Maybe I know them. Well, then again, I don't really know that many ponies..."

Eeyup... She definitely doesn't like the silence.


	7. 1 - 07

"Eat up!"

"Don't you mean 'eat _down?'_ "

Sienna rolls her emerald green eyes as she munches on the grass. "Just eat, you silly pony."

The sun is already setting, and even though the sky is still bright, the forest has already gotten quite dark, probably because the leaves up above block the sun's rays. Anyway, Miss Deer and I are on the edge of another stream. This is probably the second stop of the pony harvesters who deliver their crops to the unicorns up north.

Sienna gulps down the grass she was eating and flashes me a concerned frown. "Hey, Jay. You really, _really_ need to eat."

"Mrrrf," I mrrrf as I stare at the grass. I have been feeling dizzy during the last hour because I'm really hungry, but I'm just too stubborn to eat... _grass_. The cold water that I drank as soon as we got here didn't help, and my stomach growls in agreement.

"You won't have the energy to move if you—"

"I know!" I hiss as I throw her a tired glare. I sigh as I sit down on the ground. "S-sorry," I mumble quietly. What can I say? Anyone can lose their temper if they're hungry, and I'm no exception, but damn it, I don't _want_ to eat grass! "I...just don't like grass."

"Pffft—!" Sienna chokes and coughs, and she hurries to the stream to drink some water.

I roll my eyes and lightly shake my head. I look down and stare at the grass stalks before me. I lean closer to it and take a sniff. Well, it smells...nothing, I guess? So I suppose it's safe to assume that this grass hasn't been pissed on.

"It's not gonna kill you, you know," Sienna says as she walks back towards me from the stream. "Come on. At least eat a little bit?"

"I'm not a kid," I say as I throw her a soft glare, "so stop treating me like one."

She rolls her eyes as she stops a few paces away from me. "Well, you sure are acting like one." She blinks. "...Then again, I've never met any goats before, not to mention kids."

I close my eyes, take a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh. My stomach growls loudly as I reopen my eyes, my gaze on the green grass. I swallow a lump of uncertainty as I chant _'eat it! eat it! eat it!'_ in my head. I open my mouth wide, clench my eyes shut, lean down, feel the tallest stalk touch the roof of my mouth, and chomp the grass. I shiver as I pull my head back, fighting the urge to spit the grass out of my mouth. I slowly start to chew the weird and tasteless _food_ as I ignore Sienna's amused face.

"See? That wasn't too bad?"

I throw her a glare as I continue chewing. It needs ketchup...or soy sauce. Anyway, after a few more chewing, I swallow and let out a shivering belch. "Ugh..."

"Now eat up before the sun sleeps!"

"Aren't there any fruits around here?"

She arches an eyebrow. "Uh, no." She shakes her head. "Even if there are, wild fruits are usually not something we should eat."

I arch an eyebrow of my own. "...Why not?"

She shrugs. "Well, for one thing, we can't reach them."

... ... ...

"Because they're really out of reach. Second, birds and fruit bats eat them, so its best not to ruin the animals' source of food unless you want them to start infesting on pasture-grown fruits."

"Ah..." Okay, I guess that makes sense, if that's how things work here in this world. Also, she said 'animals.' "Aren't we animals, too?"

She arches an eyebrow again. "...Why do you not know these things, anyway? Shouldn't you ponies know this?"

"Just humor me."

She blinks. "...What?"

I sigh and plant a hoof to my face. "Never mind. I'm going back to eating grass now." I decide to just _fuck it_ and continue to eat grass. As she said, it won't kill me...I hope. There's nothing else to eat around here anyway...

"Well, if you really don't know," she says as she starts eating. "Mrrf—is yes, we are animals, too, but—mfff—we're different because we're sentient." She thankfully gulps down what she was eating. "Ponies, deers, giraffes—"

What?

"—zebras, wolves, dragons—"

Oh my god... There are _dragons_ here?! Wait, wolves talk here?

"—dogs, foxes, eh...and so on."

Foxes too? "Um... Tigers? Lions?"

She blinks and shrugs. "I've heard of them, but never seen any of them before. But I've seen a lynx and a leopard before." She shakes her head. "Trust me when I say that you shouldn't get close to them."

"I wonder why," I say lamely. I blink. "...About that." I look around, trying to spot another 'sentient' creature. Spotting no one, I return my gaze on Sienna, who is looking curiously at me. "What were you doing all alone in the—"

"I don't want to talk about it," she quickly cuts me off, her two ears drooping. She shakes her head, but it didn't hide the grimace on her face that she tried to cover.

Well, I suppose I can put two and two together. She was alone, doesn't want to talk about it, and kept on mentioning that she should start making her own choices. Eh, she probably ran away from her herd, or from some deer-only pasture. Aw well. I shouldn't trouble myself with her own troubles.

"It's getting dark," she suddenly says, snapping me away from my train of thought. She looks around, her two ears pointed up and turning in different directions. It's kinda cute to look at though. I wonder if I can do that with my own pony ears. After a few seconds, she turns to me, lies down on the ground and lets out a big and long yawn. "Well, I'm getting some shuteye."

I blink. "Wait... You're sleeping here?"

She arches an eyebrow. "...Yes?"

...So I guess tents haven't been invented here yet. Sigh... I look around. "Well, shouldn't we first start a fire?"

"What?" she gasp in surprise. "W-why would you want a fire?"

"To...keep us warm at night?" Aaand I just realize how stupid that sounds in this world.

She glares at me. "That's a **stupid** way to keep ourselves warm during the night, Jay!" She slowly shakes her head.

"Um... S-sorry?"

"Don't you know that fire can spread and burn everything?" she asks me. "It could burn entire forests—pastures even!—and your winged ponies could barely stop it!"

I sigh as I slowly sit down. "I said I'm sorry... It was...just a random idea..."

"A stupid one."

"Fine," I roll my eyes. "A random and stupid idea."

She shakes her head, her angry features slowly fading. "You're a really weird pony... Anyway," she looks at me, "if you can't handle the cold night air, then you can sleep beside me."

Er...

"Don't tell me you don't know that either? We could share our body heat and—"

"Er... Yeah, uh, n-no thanks!" I smile, albeit an awkward one. "I-I think I'll be okay." Okay fur, don't fail me! _Please_ don't fail me...

She shrugs. "Eh, if you say so." She puts her head on the ground and sighs as she closes her eyes. "Sleep well."

"Um..."

I see one of her ears turn to me.

"...What about predators?"

"If we hear one," she mumbles quietly without raising her head or even opening her eyes, "then we run as fast and as far away as we can."

I blink. But...how? "How can we hear them if we're asleep?" Oh, poop... Timberwolves! They're active at night! "W-what about timberwolves?"

"They usually prey on smaller animals..." she mumbles. "Now go to sleep."

"But...but..."

She sighs and opens one eye to give me a tired glance. "Jay... Is this your first time being alone?"

I pause. I...no. Actually, no, this isn't the first time that I was alone. I've...always been alone ever since I moved out of my parents' house. Well, technically, that's not true. My brother and I live in the same apartment because he wanted to be closer to the university where he studies. Now that I think about it, the moments when I thought I was alone, someone was there close by, yet I chose to _feel_ alone... I had a few friends at work and in the apartment building. I had my brother. I had my parents. I...suppose, me being a quiet type, I find it hard to share my thoughts with others. It probably made me feel alone, even though I really wasn't.

But now? I guess I really am alone...

I feel my ears droop as I look down on my two front hooves. "I was never alone from the start..."

"Hm...?"

I take a breath and sigh as I close my eyes. "I chose to feel as if I was alone. Now? I guess the universe wanted to let me feel what being alone actually feels like... And I don't like it."

"Well," she says softly, "I don't know who this 'universe' is, but you're not really alone."

I sigh. "Yeah, I know." I look at her. "Because you're in front of me."

She smiles as she closes her eye. "That, and you have your undying feelings for this Twilight pony you're looking for."

I roll my eyes. "Look, I don't love her, okay? I just need her help."

"Sure..." she whispers. "You'll find her, Jay. Don't worry."

I sigh as I look down on the ground. "...I sure hope so..."

I'm still feeling quite hungry, so I continue to eat some grass... Sigh... Crickets start to chirp as the sun continues to dip down in the horizon that I can't see. I then hear rustling noises form behind me. I immediately turn around, fearing for my life. It's about time a predator jumps out and try to kill me, but nope, it's just a bunch of rabbits going inside their dens under the bushes. I let out a sigh of relief before I put my muzzle back on the grass. I love rabbits, because they're cute and fuzzy and I find it cute to stare at their little movey-movey noses.

But I'm feeling so...depressed at the moment that cute bunnies aren't enough to lift my spirits. I'm not sure it 'depress' is the right term to use but, well, tomorrow's Tuesday, and I'm running out of time... I stare at Sienna's sleeping form as I munch on some grass. Maybe I can continue walking after I'm done eating? But, I wonder if the forest will be too dark for me to see where I'm going later on. Then again, my hooves are aching now, so I guess I'll just sleep, wake up early tomorrow and hope that Twilight could get me back home before sunset.

...About that...

No, no, Twilight is Twilight. No matter what universe, Twilight will always pursue magical discoveries. She may be different in this world, but I...hope that she could help me. Applejack and Pinkie Pie were different, but they still have their familiar qualities and traits. Pinkie's friendly and Applejack...well...uh...she...um...friendly, too? Never mind.

Right, I think I've eaten enough grass for one night. I quietly walk towards the stream to drink.

...What are the odds of Twilight being able to help me in this world? Ponies here all behave like...ordinary animals. I mean, it's like the only thing they're thinking of are the basics of life, with a small knowledge of trade. I dunno... All these thoughts make my head ache.

I pull my head up and sigh as I turn around and join my deer companion. I lie down on the ground with a respectable distance between the two of us. I stare at her two little stubs on her head before I let out a yawn. I suddenly feel how tired and sleepy my everything is, so I lazily lay my head on the ground. Sleeping like this doesn't feel that bad, probably because of my fur, but it's kinda sad though.

Oh well... This is just for one night anyway. Tomorrow, I'll find Twilight and ask for her help.


	8. 1 - 08

"Mrfff...?" I hate being a light sleeper. Little noises wakes me up from my slumber. Although it saved me a few times from the pranks my brother tried to pull on me while I was asleep. Anyway, with me being turned into a freaking pony, my hearing has been _enhanced_ somehow.

I mumble a grumble as I slowly open my eyes in annoyance. I don't even know why I opened my eyes, for all I see around me is pitch-black darkness, with a few faint silhouettes of my surroundings and my deer companion sleeping a few feet in front of me.

And then that annoying rustling noise is gone. This is the fourth time that noise woken me up and it's getting freaking annoying. Every time that noise wakes me, I faintly notice Sienna's ears turning in her sleep. I suppose she's used to this kind of stuff. Unfortunately for me, I'm not.

I let out a frustrated sigh as I go back to sleep.

From what I heard, having a camp fire helps repel potential predators. If the one making the rustling noises is a predator, then sigh... End of the line for me. But I sure as hell hope that it won't come to that.

Now that I think about it, I could have simply dug a small hole on the ground, place rocks around it, put wood inside the hole, and start a fire.

...Uh... How am I supposed to start a fire? I don't have a flint and I doubt I could grab sticks on each hoof... Sigh...

* * *

...There's that annoying rustling noise again. I wonder if I approach it, a wild Pokémon will appear.

...Nah.

And it's gone.

Whatever...

* * *

Nnngh... That noise...!

I open my eyes and lift my head up, looking around as if I'll ever see the offending bush or whatever that's making that rustling noise. And of course that noise dies down. Goddamnit.

* * *

"—ay? Jay?"

I take a slow and deep breath, hold it in for a few seconds—

"Something's out there," I hear Sienna whisper.

"No shit," I grumble. Aside from me easily getting annoyed or frustrated when hungry, I also easily get pissed when I don't have enough or being continuously disturbed from my beauty sleep. I ignore the rustling sounds of leaves as I raise my head up and glare at my companion, who's busy turning her head and ears around. It's still freaking dark and I can barely see anything. Whatever. I slowly rise up on four hooves.

"Jay, I think we shou—"

" **FUCK OFF!** " I holler as I throw my glare towards the direction where that annoying sound is coming from. The sound is gone now, but my annoyance hasn't left me yet. I drag my hoof on the ground, trying to grab something. " **Go away! Leave us alone and go fuck yourself!** " I feel a small rock on my hoof as soon as the words left my mouth. I angrily pick it up with both my front hooves and throw it at the direction where that stupid noise was coming from. I hear a _'thunk!'_ and then more rustling noises, and then rapid footsteps getting fainter and fainter by the second until I can no longer hear it.

I snort angrily, locking my glare on that direction for a few more seconds before I lay down and go back to sleep. I take a deep breath and sigh, repeating the process to calm myself down. Now that I think about it, _damn_ , that was a stupid thing for me to do. Then again, I was so annoyed and wanted to go back to sleep, so eh...

"That...was a stupid thing to do," Sienna quietly remarks.

Thank you, Captain Obvious.

"And...you have a...um... _colorful_ choice of words there, Jay..." She pauses. "But, well, it worked. Whatever it was, it's gone now."

"Good riddance," I say as I finally feel my sleepiness embracing me. I let out a small yawn. "I'm getting back my beauty sleep. G'nyt."

"Actually, it won't be long now before the sun wakes up."

... ... ...My eye twitches. Thrice. "...Wake me up when I'm dead."

* * *

"Wakey wakey, my little pony."

Oh my god! I can't believe she just said that! "Don't ever say that line again," I mumble as I lift my head up. "Also, I told you to only wake me when I'm dead." I hear her snort as I open my tired eyes, and the early morning forest greets my vision. Judging from the sky up above, the sun is barely poking out from the horizon, and while the forest is still dark at this early hour, at least it's not totally dark unlike last night. Sienna is already eating some grass as I pull my tired self on four hooves. I want to stretch but I don't know how, but I stretch anyway as I yawn.

"Someone had a good night's sleep," she says with a mouthful of grass.

"Hah hah," I throw her a glare as I walk over the edge of the stream. I take a drink before I dip my face under the water, letting the coldness jolt my tired body awake. If I had a towel, I would have thrown myself in the water, but then again, even if I do have a towel, how am I going to dry myself? I pull my head back up and shake the water off. "Brr...!"

"Why did you do that just now?" I hear Sienna ask from behind me.

I shrug, look down and smile as I stare at my no-longer-exhausted reflection on the running water. "It's a technique to fully wake up if you don't have coffee." I don't like coffee, by the way. I just used that line my bro kept on saying if we don't have coffee back in the apartment. Anyway, "we should get going," I say as I turn to her.

She blinks at me as she munches. "Mm... You're not going to eat?"

My smile fades. "...You shouldn't talk when your mouth's full."

She arches an eyebrow. "Why?"

I sigh. "Never mind. Anyway," I look down and stare at the grass with a frown. "...I'll eat on the way," if I get hungry anyway. I turn around and stare at the path on the other side of the stream. "We'll be getting to the unicorns before noon, right?" I ask as I start crossing the stream.

"What's the hurry, anyway?" she asks as she follows me. There aren't any rocks poking out of the stream's surface, so she has to walk through it like what I'm doing. "It's not like the hornie ponies are going anywhere."

"...L-let's stick to calling them unicorns, please? And I'm not sure if Twilight's there." I reach the other side of the stream. I shake the water off of my hooves before I walk down the path. "If she's not there with them, then I'm going to continue looking for her. Hopefully, she's not too far from the unicorns."

"Twilight sounds like a very important pony to you," she says.

I slightly shake my head. "It's not like that, but—"

"So what happened between you two, anyway?"

I blink. "What do you mean?"

"Did you guys had a fight or something? An argument?" She pauses. "...Racial issues?"

Racial issues? That's a thing here? _Really?_ I look back at her. "Rac—" Uh, maybe next time. "Uh, again, what do you mean?"

She shrugs. "Well, something big _and_ bad must have happened if she ran away and for you to go and look for her." She smiles. "It's...actually pretty sweet."

I roll my eyes as I groan. "I've told you," I say as I turn my attention back to the path ahead. "We're not a couple...or _mates_ or whatever you guys call it here." I shake my head. "I just—"

"—need her help. Yeah, sure," she says. "Help with _what_ , I wonder?"

I'm not going to entertain that question. Eenope.

"You're blushing. I can tell."

I look back at her with a frown.

Her smile falters. "You're not blushing..."

"No, I'm not." ...How does blushing even work if my skin... _our_ skins are covered in fur? "Look," I say as I return my attention on the path ahead. "I just need her help, and that's it. There's nothing between us, period."

Thankfully, Sienna drops the subject, but has yet to keep her mouth shut as the minutes fly by. At least the topics she is choosing isn't boring, so I have that going for me, which is nice. The path curves and turns but it still turns back up north after a few yards or so. As the minutes become hours, the gaps between the trees becomes wider and wider. A few more minutes fly by and after Sienna and I walk on this path curving north, we see a very tall mountain behind a series of rolling green hills beyond a flat, wide and open field of grass with the occasional trees there and there and over there.

"Wow..." I breathe out as I stop on the edge of the forest. I let my eyes swim on the scene before me. At least, I would have, but my gaze is locked on a herd of cows and bulls milling around.

"Well," I hear Sienna say as she stop beside me. "The horniecorn ponies are just beyond those hills." She then looks at me. "Good luck with your search, Jay Pony."

I blink and turn to see her turn around and begin walking back. "Wait... You're leaving?"

She stops and looks at me. "Well...yes!" She smiles. "Don't worry. There aren't any predators out there in the open fields. Just be careful with snakes." She turns her head back to the path as she resumes her walk.

I should at least thank her. I should. Yeah. "Uh, well, thanks."

"Hm?" She stops and looks at me again, blinking.

I smile and nod. "Thanks for uh...escorting me all the way here. I really appreciate it."

She smiles. "You're welcome. Bye now." And she walks away.

I take a deep breath and sigh as I turn my gaze back at the green plane before me, and then at that lone mountain. Right. I linger for a few more seconds before I walk out of the forest, smiling. It won't be long now before I reach the unicorns.

...Wait... That tall and lone mountain... Is that supposed to be Canterlot?


	9. 1 - 09

I wonder if Mooriella's around here. Then again, I can't really remember what she looks like in the show. Plus, the cows here all look the same. Uh, no, not really. Their markings are all different but, ah you get the point.

The cows and bulls are all milling and grazing around. Some give me a glance or two, but other than that, they don't really mind me. Shadows suddenly run over me and I look up, spotting a large number of pegasi ponies pushing lots of clouds towards north. So Rainbow Dash really was saying the truth that they're also delivering clouds to other pastures. Then that means the unicorns are up ahead! I smile as I quicken my pace.

"There they go," I hear a male voice say.

"When are our clouds coming again?"

"In two days, if I remember correctly, dear."

I blink, smile fading as I continue walking. What do the cattle trade in exchange for clouds anyway? Milk? I shudder and shake the feeling off before I continue on my way.

I feel my ears twitch as I hear laughter of young children growing louder and louder. I turn to the source and see a number of young calves playing tag or something. "Pony! Pony!" ...Or maybe they're just happy to see a pony? I brace myself as they quickly got closer, but instead of tackling me, they run around me as I slow down until I stop to avoid hitting or tripping them by accident. "Pony! Pony!"

"Pony!"

"Pony!"

"Uh..." I feel my ears droop as I awkwardly look at the four calves. I know children back home wants to have a pony, but I sure hope these kids don't want to _own_ one...or me for that matter.

"Children!" I hear a loud female voice and the four calves stop running around and turn to the approaching cow. "Go and play somewhere else."

One calf suddenly boops the other's nose. "Tag! You're it!" and she and the other two calves screech in fake terror as they scramble away. The other one shakes his head and gives chase.

The cow smiles as she watches them go. Seconds after, she turns to me. "I'm sorry about that, pony sir."

I slightly shake my head. "Eh, no harm done. Thanks, by the way."

She nods her head as I resume my walk. She walks alongside me for some strange reason. "Mighty strange to see a lonesome pony travelling our land, if you don't mind me saying."

"Oh?" Are all sentient herbivore species in this version of Equestria this chatty and friendly? Then again, she helped me with those kids earlier, so I guess chatting with her is the least I can do in return.

"Tell me, dearie, are you going to the horned ponies?"

Ponies call then unicorns. Deer call them hornie ponies. I guess cattle call them horned ponies? I wonder what's next? Eh... I doubt I'll be meeting with another sentient race after I find Twilight. "Yes," I say with a nod. "I'm looking for Twilight, you s—"

"Twilight?!" she exclaims, startling me and catching the nearby cattle's attention. I turn and see her look of...horror? "Dearie, you can't be serious!"

"Eeeeeerrrrrrrmmmmm..." ...Something's telling me that Twilight here's a different Twilight. I knew that she will be different, because Pinkie, AJ and Dash are also kinda-sorta different after my brief encounters with them, but this cow's reaction is telling me that Twilight is a very, _very_ different Twilight. I feel my ears droop once again as I begin to hear hushed whispers around.

The cow then hangs her head low, approaches me, and bumps her head on me as she...pushes me back?

"What the—? Hey—!"

She keeps on pushing me, even as I try to sidestep away from her. "I'm doing you a favor, dearie," she says as she shoves me back. "No sane individual _wants_ to meet that crazy mare."

"Unless your insane!" a voice shouts.

"She tried taking away my child!"

"Mine, too!"

"She's a lunatic!"

"She speaks nonsense!"

"She's dangerous with that glowing horn of hers!"

And the shouts continue as this cow continues shoving me back. I grit my teeth as I try to stay on my hooves, but as the bulls and cows chant their horrible description of Twilight, my resolve starts falling until I drop on the ground on my side after one last shove. As others continue telling me that meeting Twilight is a bad idea, a few concerned cattle ask if I'm okay as they try to pull me back on my hooves.

After I'm back on my four hooves, I take slow breaths to collect myself as the voices die down. After a couple more breaths, I look around and see a large number of cattle circling around me. I blink as I look at them for a few more seconds before my gaze lands on the cow that was shoving me.

She's wearing a concerned frown as she looks at me. "...Dearie, you're _still_ going to see her, aren't you?"

I take a breath and sigh as I hear a few whispers among the crowd. "Yes," I quietly reply with a nod. "I...appreciate your um...warnings, but I really need to..."

...To what? Speak to her? Ask for her help? ...How can she help me? This world's Twilight is different... She _can't_ help me. Nopony can, it seems. Am I...am I stuck here? Forever?

I shake my head, and shake it again for good measure. I... Even if Twilight's not the Twilight I'm looking for, I still need to see her... So at least I won't be stuck here with a _'what if...'_ in my head. Even if Twilight _can't_ help me, I still need to see her at least... "...For my peace of mind..."

The bulls and cows look among themselves before they begin to walk away...probably from me. A few who are still around gives me a few words, basically telling me that I'm crazy. I probably am, seeing as I've turned into a pony and am talking to cows.

The cow who was shoving me lets out a defeated sigh. "...If you must, dearie." She looks back at me with a long frown. "You must have a reason if you choose to ignore our word about her."

I slowly nod my head. "I'm...sorry if I caused a scene."

She shakes her head. "No need for that, dearie." She turns and gestures with her head that I walk alongside her. I nod and we start a slow walk towards the lone mountain. "I saw the determination in your eyes, but I chose to ignore it, and instead of asking you, I started making a scene. I'm...sorry about that, dearie." Before I get the chance to respond, she continues after shaking her head, "we old cows can only give advice to the young, and this is me advising you that you shouldn't pursue her, but in the end, the choice still falls on you, for it's your life after all..." She looks at me, her frown still present. "I don't know why you want to see her," she shakes her head before looking ahead again. "And I don't think I want to know, but do this old cow a favor, dearie."

I nod and open my mouth to—

"Please don't ask her to be your mate."

I stumble on my hooves and fall on the ground. I groan as she helps me back on my four hooves. "Guh... Never in my wildest dreams, gran-gran..."


	10. 1 - 10

I don't like confrontations, especially if it's against a large number of people. Adding to the fact that I'm a loner, well...let's just say that I talk more in my head than I do in real life. Not only that though, but sometimes, the tension in confrontations make the words coming out of my mouth all jumbly and messy. I prefer one on one conversations, but often times, I can also handle myself fine in group discussions, as long as there are no arguments involved.

So anyway, Missus Cow didn't know where Twilight is. She also made it a point that she wouldn't like to know where the crazy mare lives either. She simply led me to the bordering hills before we said our goodbyes and parted ways.

So here I am now, walking around the bases of the rolling hills as I work my way north. I'm walking through the tall grasses, which are almost reaching my neck, and they're really lovely to look at, especially if a soft breeze passes by, making the grass stalks sway with the wind. Speaking of, despite the morning sun almost reaching the zenith, the air here's cool, refreshing and _oh_ so very soothing.

I would have climbed the hills and walked a straight line, but Missus Cow told me that it wasn't a good idea. Why? Sheep lives on top of the hills. I can see a few of them grazing near the brow. Missus Cow told me that each hill has an "alpha ram" or whatever that is very, _very_ territorial and will harm—or _ram_ (her words, not mine)—anything that trespasses their territory or try to sheepnap his sheep...or whatever.

By the way, no, the cow's name isn't Missus Cow. I never got to ask for her name, so eh...

As I walk through the tall grass and hope that I won't get bitten by snakes, and seeing as there's nothing to distract me, my thoughts start to run from Twilight to Twilight and Twilight. And no matter how beautiful the scenery or how soothing the breeze, the thoughts in my head is weighing my spirit and my frown down.

Twilight can help me... That single sentence is no longer enough to lift me up. Twilight, in this alternate universe, _cannot_ help me. And the cattle's reactions were proof of that, and so were Missus Cow's words during our short journey.

 _"She's a very dangerous pony, dearie,"_ I recall her saying. _"She suddenly appeared one day, crying and looking confused and she was asking for help. She was asking us strange and weird questions. We never really understood what she was saying as we spent minutes trying to calm her down, but after she did, she started giggling, and then laughing. She was laughing like crazy, dearie, as her horn glowed brighter and brighter. And then...she started harming us! It lasts for a couple of minutes, but it felt like hours... She then started crying as she apologized, and then she...disappeared._

 _"She doesn't show up everyday, mind you, but every time she does, we panic and run away as far away from her as possible. It's not because she harmed us during our first meeting, dearie, but when she showed up after the first time, she started taking our children! Heavens above, she almost took my child that one time! She has never been able to take away any of our children, thank the heavens above, but we cannot risk it, dearie. That is why our brave bulls started attacking her whenever she does show up, but she's a clever mare, and not once did our bulls were able to even touch her..._

 _"And that is why I don't want you to go and see her. I don't know if the horned ponies around that mountain knows where she is, but I'll be thankful if you wouldn't find her. I'm sorry, dearie, but whatever reason you may have for seeking her, I doubt it's worth the risk, but..."_

Twilight can't help me. She _can't_ help me. She's not the Twilight I'm hoping to meet... But I have nowhere else to go and no one else to go to... I... I...

"I want to go home..." I whisper in the wind.

 _"By the way, dearie... The horned ponies aren't really..._ welcoming _to whoever visits their land... Unlike the sheep, the horned ponies are growing more hostile as of late... There was a group of earth pony traders who stopped visiting the horned ponies a few moons ago after they were attacked by them... If you are determined to go there, then you need to be patient with them if you want them to listen to you, dearie..."_

A soft breeze passes by, blowing the grass and my mane for a few seconds as I continue my slow walk towards the unicorns. The lone mountain of "Canterlot" is growing closer and closer as the minutes fly by. My hooves are starting to feel a little hurt and I'm starting to get hungry but I press on. I just...want to get this over with. Go to "Canterlot," hope the unicorns will let me ask them where Twilight is, thank them, find Twilight, and...

She can't help me... She can't... She...can't...

My eyes are starting to sting... I clench my eyes shut as I take a few deep breaths. Calm down, me... Just...calm down... Despite what they say... Despite what _everyone_ says, I...I still don't know _yet_ if Twilight can or can't help me. E-even if there's a zero point zero one percent chance of her helping me back home, I'll take it... I'll try and take that chance...

...Because nopony else can help me...

* * *

Why are there so many clouds on the brown earth up ahead?

"Look, do you want these clouds or not?!" awesome pony asks as she hovers in the air, probably glaring at the glaring unicorns on the ground. I'm still a distance away from them, but damn, RD's really losing her cool if I heard her loud and clear from here. Also, Dash's here, too? Is she like the lead pegasus in delivering clouds? Eh...

I've already walked pass the rolling hills and I'm now on a plain of tall grasses heading towards the base of the giant "Canterlot" mountain. Speaking off, the mountain is really _freaking_ huge! The base itself stretches beyond my _x-axis vision area_ , and from the looks of it, the mountainside seems to be very, very steep. Oh, and there's a big and dark cave on it as well, and in front of that cave is where the commotion is happening. I wonder if lone mountains are supposed to look like this.

Hm... I think I remember Pinkie saying that the unicorns live around the northern mountains, and _not_ around one lonely mountain. Eh, I guess I must have misheard her.

I step out of the tall grasses as I stare at the peak. I blink and look at the ground, which is brown, rocky and has a few patches of green grasses here and there. There are also rocks and boulders of different shapes and sizes that are scattered everywhere I look, and as I continue walking and ignoring the arguing pegasi and unicorns up ahead, I notice quite a good number of rock formations where a flat-like rock is on top of two large boulders, forming a makeshift house or tent. So I guess it's safe to assume that the unicorns are _smart enough_ to make shelter.

Then again, if the weather's controlled by the pegasi, then I suppose there's little to no need of a roof to protect themselves from rains or storms, but then again, unlike in the pasture, the air here's kinda warm, probably because of the lack of trees, so I guess they need something to shield themselves from the sun, and I'm babbling, and a few unicorns are already giving me death glares now. Right... I should try and be patient with them... I stop and look around, hoping to see a friendly face whom I can talk to.

"Last chance!" I hear Rainbow Dash shout. The unicorns who are glaring at me turn their attention to the loud-mouth pegasus who's still a few paces ahead. Dash is glaring at none other than an _unfabulous_ version of Rarity. "Either you give us the gems or the deal's off!"

"How many times to I have to repeat myself?" Rarity says as he counters the pegasus' glare with her own. "We lost them just this morning!" She doesn't have her signature curly mane and tail. Just like the rest of the unicorns around, her mane and tail are flat, and her mane's length is only up to her shoulders.

"Puh!" Rainbow spits on the ground between them, but Rarity didn't flinch. "There's your water. Enjoy," she says as she looks at her pegasus companions. "We've wasted enough time."

"Wait!" a unicorn calls out amongst the crowd. "Just give us until sundown! We'll give you the gems as promised!"

I hear a growl close by. I turn to the direction of the noise and see a bunch of unicorns inside a _rock house_ glaring at me with their horns and floating rocks aglow. My ears droop. "Uh..."

"The deal was," Rainbow says, "we give you guys the clouds _and then_ you give us the gems."

"But...but..."

A unicorn mare steps out from the shadow of their home. "You have one breath to tell us what you're doing here, dirt pony," she says, a rock floating beside her head as she glares at me. "Or else..."

Cool! So that's what magic looks like in real life. But that's not a friendly face... I gulp and take a step back, but then I start hearing sounds of uprooted _rocks_ from the ground. I look around and see a few more unicorns levitating rocks as they glare at me. Welp, so much for the _"friendship is magic"_ slogan of the franchise...

I take a breath as I turn to the unicorn who gave me the warning. Better ask directly then to save myself some time and pain, and to get the hell out of here. "I'm looking for T—"

"But Twilight took them all!"

The magical aura surrounding the floating rocks flicker as the unicorns wince.

"She suddenly appeared by the gems and then disappeared! Along with the gems!"

"You and your stupid and freakish magic..." Rainbow Dash shakes her head as she grabs a cloud. "We're out." And she zooms away, the other pegasi following her.

"Wait!"

"Great..." the unicorn in front of me sighs angrily as she eyes the retreating pegasi. She then shifts her glare on me. "We don't have _any_ water, _and_ we have a dirt pony on our midst."

I start hearing a chorus of frustrated groans from where the pegasi and the unicorns were having a discussion.

"Look!" one of them shouts. "A dirt pony!"

"What? Where?"

"Only one? How boring!"

"Well, at least we have something to channel our anger!"

Well, shit... More and more unicorns lift up rocks from under the ground, aiming their glares at me.

I feel my ears droop. R-right... Can't stay here for long. "I ah, um, looking fo— **gah!** " I got hit! On the back of my neck! And it almost blacked me out as I stumble forward, my muzzle bumping on the unicorn who I was speaking with earlier.

And then she slaps me off of her. "How _dare_ you touch me!"

I wince as I rub my nec—OW!—I feel another painful rock hitting my side! Then another, and another rock lands a few inches from my hooves. "W-wait!" I shout. "I need to—" a rock flies painfully on my cheek! I reel back, fighting the dizziness. Fuck, this isn't working! I kick my hooves on the ground as I run away from the rock storm, zigzagging to avoid as much of the rocks as much as possible. I get a few more hits on my back but I try to man it up as I run towards the grass fields. But as I reach the tall grasses, the rocks still are falling around me, and when I finally put a lot of distance from them, a rock painfully hits the back of my head, knocking me to the grassy ground. I shiver from the pain as I place both my hooves over my head to at least protect it from the continuous onslaught of rocks, rocks and more rocks. Thankfully, the tall grasses are tall enough to hide my presence... And then a rock slams on where my cutie mark should have been. Ow...

I...guess I now know how ponies are going to act when pegasi stops delivering them rain clouds. If they stop delivering on that one pasture, then AJ and Pinkie are gonna be miserable the next time I see them...

Oh, and to Pinkie _Freaking_ Pie, running away from a _rock storm_ is **not _fun!_**

"—nough! Enough, I say!" I faintly hear Rarity's voice. "This is why we can't have things! We don't know how to behave properly!"

"Tell that to Twilight! If she didn't show up, then we could have already gotten some water!"

"That's not the point!"

Their exchange continues, but for some reason, I suddenly can't quite hear them properly. At least the rocks slowly starts to die down until no more rocks are falling from the air... Guh... I...think I'm bleeding somewhere... My mouth is so painful... My _everything_ is so painful! Ow...especially my head...

I...I need to get outta here... Nnnnnggggg...! Ugh, I'm too painful to move... I need help... But through my hazy vision, all I can see is the tall grass and my bloody muzzle... I don't think anyone can see me unless they stumble into me. Ow...my head and ow...my mouth...

Damn it all... I can't stay here. Not like this... I...need to find Twilight. Get up, me! Nggg! Get...up...! I-I don't have time for this! Don't black out... J-just...get up... Ge—

* * *

...Ow. Why...do I feel like I'm—ow—sliding on the ground? Nnnggg... I feel...my tail...I feel like I'm being dragged on the ground by my tail... ...ow... Probably because someone's pretty much dragging me on the ground by pulling my tail? Ow...

It's not a continuous drag though. It's like...pull, and then pause, pull—ow, my head slides on a poking rock on the ground—and pause. I can also faintly hear grunting noises... It's probably from whoever's dragging me...

I'm...too weak to move... Too weak to even open my heavy eyes... Ungh... I'm...I feel myself slipping from consciousness again... D-darn...


	11. 1 - 11

I regain my consciousness and manage to slowly open my eyes after I feel my ass being pulled, dragging my painful self on the ground. I let out a quiet hiss as the dragging stops and as my tired brain registers how ouchie my everything is...

"Phew..." I hear a young male's voice from behind me. "This pony's heavy... Nngggh!" And he drags me on the ground again for a few seconds and stops. "Hah..." I hear him pant for breath.

I'm still surrounded by tall grass, but it's kinda dark though. Up above, from the gaps on the grass, I see the sky in a scarlet hue. The sun's probably already halfway down the horizon...

Aaand I'm being dragged again.

...

... ...

... ... ...wait...

Holy shit! It's already sunset?! I kick my hooves on the ground—

"Wah!" _Thud!_

—and bring myself on four hooves, my head poking out from the tall grass. "Twil—! ...ooohhh..." aaand I suddenly feel dizzy and fall back down on the ground, wincing from the pain as I lie on my side, the sudden jolt of energy draining away from me...

And then something slightly heavy lands on me, trying to pin me down as I hiss from the sudden jolt of added pain. "Wow! I didn't think you're still alive!" he says in a rather cheerful tone. "Well, not for long!"

And then I feel sharp, pointed teeth stabbing my neck! He's biting me?! "Aaaahhh!" and all that drained energy comes back to me as I thrash around. I've seen enough Discovery Channel documentaries to know what's happening to me! I'm starting to get dizzy again and my flailing is doing nothing but helping me die more. I stop and try to calm myself down a notch—which is _really_ difficult given the situation I'm in—and, seeing that my growling predator's standing right in front of me, I move my hooves between his legs and under his underbelly until I feel where his _"prized possession"_ is located. I pull my hoof back, put every ounce of strength I have left on said hoof, and punch his pen fifteen.

As quickly as my hoof connects, my killer opens his fanged mouth as wide as he can and lets out a long and painful howl. I push him away from me, scramble back on my hooves and shake the dizziness off of me, which only made even dizzier... Poking my head out of the grass, I take quick breaths in hopes to fight the dizziness as I hear him collapse on the ground. I ignore the many birds flying away in panic and ignore the throbbing pain in my everything as I stupidly and dizzily look back at my attacker instead of running away.

It's a freaking panther! A young panther, maybe? It's...not quite as big as I thought what panthers might be. Then again, I've never seen one in real life before, until now. It's fur is black, which makes him kinda difficult to see in the growing darkness.

And then I feel how painful my neck is. Ow... I hiss as I bring a hoof to rub my aching and maybe bleeding neck. My jaw still hurts, and as well as my everything, but my neck's kinda hurting the more at the moment. I feel a short amount of hot and thick liquid on it. Damn it, I really _am_ bleeding!

As for the panther, he's no longer howling in pain, but hissing and shivering while curling into a ball.

Right, I should get the hell outta here—I can't... I still need to find Twilight! And it's already sundown! Gah! My mom...! She...she's going to freak out when she finds out I'm not home! Well, judging from the time, I'd say she already knew I'm not there and maybe she already panicked and called the police or even my brother, but hell, that's not the point!

The panther slowly pulls his head up to give me a tearful glare, hissing through his clenched, fanged teeth, his glaring sapphire eyes reflecting the small amounts of light poking through the tall grasses.

I ignore him. I... I... I failed to reach the deadline... I failed to get back home on time... Darn it... Darn it...! I...why did those stupid unicorns threw rocks at me?! I didn't do anything, for Pete's sake! I just want to know where Twilight is! Is that too much to ask?!

"I-I'll kill you for that, pony...!"

And then this fucking piece of shit wants to kill and eat me! "Fuck you," I say hoarsely (pun not intended) as I raise both my front hooves up and slam them down on his face, hoping it'll knock him out.

No movement... I hold my breath... D-did I kill it? ...No. I'm yet to remove my hooves on his face and I feel some warm breath from him. He's still alive, but unconscious...phew... I...I'm not sure what I'd do if I accidentally killed him... I like cats, but I like dogs more.

Well, whatever... At least he's not dead. I need to trouble myself with more troubling matters now... I pull my hooves off of the feline as I think of a way to patch myself up.

...

... ... ...

... ... ...how in blazes am I supposed to do that? Well, maybe the unicorns might show pity on me if I show up all banged up. I hope... I think I look amazingly miserable anyway, so maybe they'll pity me and... _oh who am I kidding?_ I sigh as I turn and walk towards the lone mountain far away... Maybe there's a unicorn or two who are away from their, uh, rock homes, then maybe I can have a one on one conversation... It's worth a shot, I guess? I have nowhere else to go anyway... No leads... Nothing...

I wince every step that I make, but I try to man up and walk on.

...Damn... "Canterlot" Mountain is so freaking far away! Has that panther been dragging me after the unicorns knocked me out cold? Ungh... Things are not making themselves easy for me... My entire body's still aching, especially my hooves and my nec—

"Oof!" Something is grabbing and pulling my tail back. I stop, look back and frown at the young panther who's growling and tugging my tail as if he can drag me now that I'm standing up and fully awake. While I'm _slightly_ thankful to see him well, he's annoyingly getting on my nerves. I raise a hind leg and buck him off, wincing as he pulls a few strands of hair from my tail. It's a freaking weird feeling, actually, that something is _attached_ on your ass, not to mention it getting pulled and tugged by a persistent panther. "Go away!" I holler as I continue my quick pace towards Mount Canterlot.

"Rrraaaarrr!" aaand he goes back to pulling my tail.

I...no longer care if I hurt him or not. With a twitching eye, I stop, lift a hind leg and kick him off before I continue on my way.

* * *

"Don't you have anything better to do?" I say as I kick the annoying feline back for the umpteenth time.

He stumbles but quickly gets back on his four paws. "Yeah! I'm trying to bring you back home so I could eat you!" And he bites my tail again, trying but failing to pull me back.

I take a deep breath, sigh, stop walking and turn my head to give him an annoyed look. "Pulling my tail won't kill me."

He spits my tail out of his mouth to blink at me. "I'm bringing you back home, not killing you! Wait..." He blinks. "Maybe I _should_ kill you first before I take you back home. ...I should maybe bite your hoof instead, since you're too tall when you're standing and I can't reach your neck if you want me to kill you right now..."

My eye twitches. "Do that and I'll kick you."

He shrugs. "You've been doing that to me for a while now."

"Harder."

He shrugs again. How the hell does shrugging work for quadrupeds? "Should I be afraid? Yeah, your kicks hurt, especially that one when I was biting you, but I can handle it." He eyes my hanging tail, bites it and tries to pull me back.

I let out a sigh. "Whatever. I don't have time for this." I look ahead and continue walking towards the lone mountain, dragging the panther along. Ignoring him will save me more time than kicking him every time... Maybe if I hurry, I can get back home and do some damage control. My bro's not usually home during the weekdays, but I know that when my mom calls him, he'll calm her down.

I suddenly feel my tail free. "Where are you going anyway that is so important than dying and be eaten by me?" the panther asks in the most innocent child-like tone before biting my tail again.

I roll my eyes with a groan. "That's a stupid question." Aaand it just dawns on me that I've been hitting a _child._ ...Should I apologize? Oh _god!_ I touched his—

He spits my tail out of his mouth and walks after me. "Nuh uh! Killing and eating is important!" And he bites my tail and lets me drag him again.

Derp... What was I thinking about again? Eh... "Killing is important? For you, maybe. You're a predator while I'm a hu...a pony." It's kinda weird for predators to be able to talk. Kinda a scary thought though, but I am thankful that my pathetic story's bound-to-be predator's not a fully-grown adult, or a manticore, or else I'd be dead a long time ago...

"Well, yeah!" the panther says after he spits my tail—yeah, I'll stop now since it's quite obvious already. "I need to eat you since I'm a preydey...predoy...you know."

As weird as it is to be able to talk with your potential predator, maybe I can talk and convince him to kill something else? "Why don't you just go away and hunt...rabbits instead?"

"Well I was!" he exclaims as he decides to walk beside me, looking up at me with his slightly glowy sapphiry eyes. "I really _was_ hunting rabbits a moon ago until I saw you and that deer back in the forest, so—"

I blink. "What?"

"—I thought, hey, why am I still hunting small food? I should try hunting bigger food! Because I'm a big preydey now!"

"The word is 'predator.' And you were that annoying shit who keeps on rustling the leaves?"

"Preh...dator..." he says, repeating the word a few more times until he get it right. "And that was a bush. And it was really itchy! I mean, what kind of a bush was that?! It was like it was full of thorns and stuff! Maybe it was a timberwolf bush? That would explain the thorns, I think... But it didn't attack me, so maybe it wasn't a timberwolf bush... And what does 'shit' mean?"

I blink and look down at him, which is a bit difficult now that the sky has little sunlight left, but aside from his eyes, at least I can still see his frame, faintly though it is. He's still walking next to me, strangely enough. "Uh...how old are you?"

He growls at me. "I'm not old! I'm still a cub! Well," he blinks, "...kinda still a cub. I'm still fifteen moons young. Turning sixteen soon!"

What the hell does "moons" mean?

"That's the age where I start hunting on my own!" he says brightly as he looks ahead. Seconds later, he looks back at me again, probably because he can't see anything other than grass. "I started when I turned twelve! Anyway, back to the story. I was hiding in that bush until you suddenly started shouting. I was really surprised that you were able to attack me from a distance! I didn't know food could do that!"

Riiight... "I'm not food. So you ran away?"

"I didn't run away!" he growls at me. "I... I decided to hunt smaller food. Yeah! Because I was hungry!"

...He's really talkative... At least it makes me pay less attention to my ouchie self and to the chilly night air.

"And then I slept most of the day. Woke up and went back where I found you, but you and that deer weren't there anymore. So I followed your scent, since yours is kinda strong. I was having a hard time picking up the deer's scent..."

My neck feels kinda numb... I hope my neck wound stopped bleeding already.

"So I followed your scent and found you bleeding! At first, I thought you were dead. Can you imagine how sad I was to see you lying there?"

A predator feels sadness?

"I mean, I wasn't the one who took you down!"

I take it back...

"I mean, I wanted to be the one who takes you down, so I'll know if I can take down bigger prey yet or not. But hey, whoever the loser was who tried to kill you but didn't kill you and eat you is a loser! Anyway, I can't just turn down a fresh and free food! So I started dragging you back home so no one else will eat you but me! But wow, did you surprise me when you suddenly stand back up! It was like you suddenly became alive again after you died!"

Yeah, imagine that...

"And here we are now! So can I kill you now? Maybe I can claw my way up to your neck like how I climb trees. Think that will work?"

I sigh. "Kid, you shou—"

"Yeah, I don't think it'll work, since you're not a tree. Also, I'm not a kid," he frowns at me. "I don't look like a goat, or a kid. And goats don't eat ponies...I think?" He blinks. "They don't eat ponies, right?"

"No," I grumble. "They eat butterflies and fart rainbows."

"Oh. That's nice. Except for farts." He nods his head. "...what's a rainbow?"

"It's a powerful beam of multi-colored light that will turn you to stone."

He suddenly stops, but I sure won't stop for his sake. "Really?! Just like a cockatrice?!"

...Wat? Those things exist here?!

"I should avoid goats then... And kids..." He runs after me and settles on walking alongside me again. "Good thing hunting goats had never crossed my mind before! Anyway, what's a beam?"

I groan. "Ki—er... Panther, I don—"

"My name's Reykan."

I blink. "Riiight... Reykan. Anyw—"

"So what's your name?"

I arch an eyebrow at him. "Why do you even want to know, anyway?"

He shrugs. "I just want to remember the name of the first big meal I've hunted!"

I roll my eyes. "I'm not telling you."

"Aw, come on. Tell me! I know ponies have names, too! Just like that weird purple pony in the forest. I think her name was Twilight or something... I'm not sure. She keeps talking to herself that—hey! Why did you suddenly stop walking? Oh! Does this mean you want me to kill you now? Well, can you lie down? I still can't reach your neck. Hey. Hey! Hello? Uh... Pony? Are you okay? Pony? Hm... Maybe I can try biting his hoof now... Or claw my way up?"


	12. 1 - 12

"Take me to her."

Reykan blinks at me. "Why?"

I push back a groan as I take a deep breath to calm myself down. "I need to see her. I need to talk to her!"

"But I'm hungry!"

My eye twitches. "You can eat on the way."

Despite the darkness, and me only able to see his eyes and the faint frame of his body, I can _feel_ him smiling at me. "Does that mean you'll let me eat you?"

"No, I—"

He blinks at me. "But I think you'll be dead before we get to her."

I roll my eyes. "Then don't eat me—"

"If I eat your hooves first, then you—"

"I won't let you eat me!" I hiss. "So shut it, kid!"

"Or maybe I'll eat you _when_ we get there. And I told you, I'm not a k—"

"Whatever!" I blurt out. "Just...take me to her! Please..."

He blinks at me. "...Why?"

I blink at him. "...Are we really going to repeat each other again?"

"What?"

"Never mind..." I fight the urge to shake my head as I glare at him. "Look, if you don't want to take me there, then just tell me where she is and I'll go there by myself—"

"I'll take you there."

"—and finally be...wait, what?" Oh, how I mentally cringe at how cliché that line is...

He shrugs. "She lives close to my home anyway. So why not? Maybe I can eat you after you see her?"

I blink at him. And I blink again. And again.

He blinks at me. "...Why are you staring at me like that?"

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Aside from feeling really ouchie all over, neck feeling kinda numb, stomach empty, and my head kinda dizzy, I take deep breaths to calm my senses down. Okay... Okay... I'm meeting Twilight soon...and probably won't be eaten until then... I open my eyes again and look down at Reykan's curious sapphire eyes. "...Okay... Okay..." I take another breath and sigh. "Lead the way."

"What were you doing just now?"

"It's not important," I say with a small shake of my head. Right... Don't be impatient now, me. Don't blow this chance! "So... To Twilight?"

"Can I eat something first?"

I fail to stop a frown.

"I'm really hungry..."

I sigh and sit on my rump. "...Go and hunt something then...aside from me."

"Cool!" Aaand he disappears in the tall grasses, creating a fading rustling noise. Seconds later, the rustling noises comes back and I can barely see him walking towards me again. "You want some?" he asks as he stops a few paces away from me.

I arch an eyebrow at him. "Uh... No." I eat meat, back home when I was still a human at least. I don't think my pony body would approve eating meat, especially if delicious meat is raw. "I'll just..." another frown escapes me... "...eat...grass..."

"Eh," he shrugs and turns around. "If you say so."

The rustling noises he's making is growing fainter and fainter as the seconds fly by. I look at my dark surroundings, shivering as a cool night breeze breezes by. I sigh and slowly eat some of the tall grass around me. I might as well refuel myself for the journey I'm about to take with...a panther.

A part of me is telling me that I shouldn't trust him. Why? Because he's a freaking predator! He will probably lead me to my demise...

But another part of me wants to trust him. Why? Because _he_ mentioned Twilight's name. I never told him that. Plus, he has this...child-like innocence that I can...manipulate? Is that the right word? I'm not manipulating the kid...am I? I sure hope not. Maybe taking advantage of the opportunity? Uh...that sounds _so fucking_ wrong...

...Huh... Now that I think about it, this little scenario of mine is kinda similar to that dinosaur cartoon I loved watching when I was a kid. Ah, I remember the title. It was 'Land Before Time.'

Right... I should get off the memory lane for now. Hm... I'm meeting Twilight soon. I should probably think of a _proper_ way to talk to her. Pinkie and the cattle warned me about the unicorns' behavior, but I didn't listen, because I thought they wouldn't hurt me because I have _coughcoughprotagonitistcoughcough_... So uh, yeah... I should stop thinking like that and think things through. Just because I'm a human, transported to Equestria and transformed into a pony, doesn't mean that the world now revolves around me. In the eyes of the locals, I'm just an ordinary earth pony... A lone and weak pony... And hurt... And hungry... Yeah, I should keep eating before Reykan gets ba—

 _ **THUD!**_

I blink, look back and see a dead and bloody rabbit lying near my tail and a young panther who's giving me a proud yet bloody smile. Thankfully, the darkness masks the redness. "I brought you food! In case you change your mind. I'll hunt another one for me if you want it."

I have a tougher stomach than other people though. I've seen a lot of dogs and cats getting hit by passing cars. Some of which were my pets back in my younger years. I gulp down the grass I'm eating. "Uh...thanks?" I slightly shake my head. "But uh...ponies don't eat meat." ...I think. No, I'm pretty sure they don't.

Reykan blinks at me, his smile fading. "...Oh."

Aaand I made him feel sad. I should say something. "Look, I—"

"Oh well," he shrugs before diving his open and fanged jaws towards the lifeless bunny and starts—

Remember when I said I have a tougher stomach? I take it back. I can handle seeing animals getting hit or getting killed, but getting _ripped?_ Nope! I quickly shot both my front hooves on my mouth to stop the contents of my stomach from exiting through the wrong exit as I turn around so I won't see him...eat. But unfortunately, the sounds he's making is making my brain paint a clearer image of what's going on behind me.

"Mm... You sure you don't want any?"

Uuurrggh...

* * *

And just like any other feline, he finishes his meal by licking his paws clean before he licks said paws to wipe his head and mouth clean. And then he lets out a burp.

"Ahhh..." he says as he continues grooming himself. "I don't know about you, but I'm stuffed."

I still have my back on him. I groan before I continue munching on some grass. Hey, I still have a strong but kinda weak stomach, so I still have _some_ appetite after all of that.

"So ponies only eat grass?"

I nod my head.

"Weird... Do ponies _always_ have belly aches?"

I arch an eyebrow. Oh yeah, I remember reading something about dogs and cats eating grass to help clean their stomachs. ...Or whatever. I forgot the specific details...

"Must be sad to live your whole lives with stomach aches all the time. No wonder that Twilight pony cries all the time..."

I gulp down what I'm eating before I turn to face him. Ouch... Yeah, my pony body's still ouchie... "Look, we ponies don't _always_ have stomach aches. Grass is what we eat. Fruits, too, because we're herbivores."

"Fruits?" He blinks at me. "Well, no wonder many ponies get eaten by Timberwolves!"

No idea how to respond to that.

"What does hairbeevore mean?"

"They're animals who only eat plants."

"Oh," he nods. "Just like you?"

I nod my head. "Yeah. Just like me."

"And rabbits?"

"And rabbits."

"And deer? And moles? And fishes? And—"

" _Any animal_ that eats plants," I say with an annoyed glare. I blink. "...Not sure about the moles," I mutter under my breath. I think they eat earthworms, too?

He blinks at me. "...But I eat grass sometimes when—"

"Who _only_ eats plants..." I let out a frustrated sigh. Damn, kids are annoyingly curious sometimes...

"Oh... Okay." He then pulls himself up on his four paws and stretches. "Nnnnggggg—aaahhh..." He stands up straight, smiles at me and then he turns to face a direction. A few seconds later he turns his head over his shoulder to look at me. "Well, I'm still up for more hunting tonight, so we should go and see that pony Twilight Spa...Spo..." His eyes cross. "...Sporkal?"

So he knows her full name? "Sparkle."

"Right! That! The sooner we get to her, the sooner I get to hunting again." He blinks at me. "Well, I won't hunt you yet because I think you still need to talk to Sparkle pony after we get there, right?"

I...smile.

"Right. " He then frowns at me. "Do ponies always have weird names? Oh hey, that reminds me—"

"Jay."

He blinks. "...Huh?"

"My name's Jay." I slowly rise on my four hooves—ow—and take a deep breath to ease my aching body. Damn, I need a rest...

"Jay? Jay what?"

I frown. Here we go again. "Just Jay."

"Ah," he nods at me.

Well, that was faster that expected.

"Can I call you Just? Or do you want me to call you Jay?"

...Or not. I groan as I slowly bring a hoof to my face. "What I mean is... Ah, whatever. Just call me Jay."

He blinks at me again. "...Just or Jay?"

Eye twitch... "Jay."

He nods his head with a smile. "Alright. Weird name, though..."

"Thanks, I guess..." I sigh through my nostrils as I follow Reykan leading me towards...a direction. I didn't see the moon rise yet, or maybe it's a new moon tonight?

I stop and look back at "Canterlot" Mountain in the distance. Hm... I shift my gaze left and see the faint frames of the rolling hills. I look right and also see more rolling hills. Uh... I'm either heading east or west?

"Just!"

I blink and look ahead, seeing Reykan's blue eyes staring at me through the tall grasses.

"Oh wait, I mean Jay. Why are you just standing there?"

"Sorry," I say as I follow him, trying not to wince with each step I make...

"And why are you walking so slow?" he asks as he walks beside me after I reach him. "I've seen a lot of ponies before, and they don't walk as slow as you."

I roll my eyes. "...Probably because I'm hurt."

"You're more than hurt."

Gee, if you already knew, then why...sigh... Whatever.

"But at least we're moving. ...Slowly..." He groans before looking up at me. "Can't you walk any faster?"

I glare at him. "...Wanna pull my tail and drag me to Twilight?"

"Sure! If you let me eat you afterwards," he says _oh so_ cheerfully...

I roll my eyes and slightly shake my head. Hm... Maybe I should ask him about Twilight before he starts bombarding me with words... "Rey..."

"Hm?" he looks up at me.

"What's Twilight like?"

"Oh! Well, she's a pony! Just like you."

I roll my eyes. "I would have never guessed..." Hm... Despite the darkness, I can see a wavy dark horizon up ahead where there are no stars. Oh, right... That must be a forest, where Reykan probably lives.

...Where other predators probably live.

"Uh..." I uh as I try to control myself. "You live—"

"She's purple."

I blink. Oh, right... We're talking about Twilight...

"She has a horn on her head and—"

"Wings?"

"—and she—uh, what?" He looks at me and probably is arching an eyebrow. "Um...no?"

"Oh...okay." She's a unicorn, then. And why is everything getting darker? I close my eyes and slightly shake my head. Huh...

"Anyway," he looks ahead, despite not being able to see anything other than the dark grass. "She lives inside this big, dead and scary-looking tree that—"

So I guess Twilight _still_ lives inside a tree house. Um...dead tree house, I guess?

"—but I haven't seen her go outside her tree home for a _loooong_ time now. At first, I thought she was already dead—"

Aaand he's talking fast again...

"—I still hear her talking and crying and laughing from there, so I guess she's still alive."

That's reassuring, I guess...

"Hm... Now that I think about it, I wonder how she's still alive?" He looks up at me. "You said you ponies only eat fruits and grass, right?"

I blink at him. "Uh...yes?"

"Well..." he looks ahead. "...there are no fruits or grass around her tree home, and like I said, I didn't see her come out of her home for a long time now, so...she should be dead, right?"

"Uh..."

He shakes his head. "But I don't smell a dead smell from there, and I can still hear her sometimes. So that means she's still alive... Wow... Maybe she's dead and alive at the same time?" He looks up at me with those curious sapphire eyes of his. "...can ponies be dead and alive at the same time?"

"Uh... No?" I shake my head. "At least, I don't think so..."

"Huh..." he says quietly. "Weird..."

In before Twilight's a zombie pony. Who's probably gonna kill me the moment we see each other... Yey... Sigh... Oh, that reminds me... "Hey, Rey..."

"Hm? What?"

"Are there other panthers over there?"

"Over where?"

I stifle a groan. "Your home."

"Nope!"

Well, he's quick to answer that. ...I almost lose my balance... What's going on...?

"At least, I don't think so," he says with a shrug.

Whatever... At least I'm still up and moving...slowly... "...Other predators?"

"Hm..." He shrugs. "Maybe in the deeper parts. I live close to the edge anyway. Easy to spot moving food while I'm lying on my tree. Heheheh..."

I'm getting tired already... Really? We haven't been walking that long yet!

"Sometimes, a cockatrice or two shows up, but they don't really mind me as long as I don't mind them." He shakes his head. "I don't think I will, anyway. I kinda don't wanna become stone. That'd be lame..."

I'm taking slow and deep breaths, hoping that stimulating my blood flow would help me feel not-so-tired...

"...I wonder why they turn prey to stone and just...leave them like that. I can't eat rock prey. Nopanther can, I think? And I bet the cockatrice can't eat stoned prey, either. And why are you slowing down?"

I need to see Twilight... Come on, me! We just ate grass to refuel!

"Jay?"

Goddamnit...! No! I need to keep moving! I-I can't risk blacking out _with_ a panther! "Nnnggg...!" I grit my teeth as I continue forcing myself to walk, but damn, do these hooves suddenly feel so freaking heavy! I'm no longer lifting them, but dragging them on the ground just to continue movi— "Oof!" ...I feel the ground on my side. I collapsed?

I feel two _clawed_ paws on my side... I hear Reykan say something but I can't understand him from how jumbly my mind is...

"N-no..." I hiss... Damn it, even talking is freaking hard to do! My tired mind is racing a million thoughts and commands but my damn pony body's just freaking unresponsive...! "I... I..." And the darkness is already consuming me... "Pl-please..." I...hate begging... "...d...don't..."


	13. 1 - 13

"Mmmrrrfff..." I mrrrfff as I slowly open my eyes but I instantly close them back after a bright white light almost blinds me. ...Figuratively speaking, that is... Also...it's freaking hot for some reason.

Hm...bright and hot... So I died and went to hell. ...Or Tartarus. Great. So now, as a pony spirit, I'll try and find a way to look for Twilight. Well, if I'm a ghost, I can simply just...fly _through_ things, right?

 _...How in blazes am I gonna get back home if I'm freaking dead?_

...?

I feel something lying on my neck. I carefully and slowly open my eyes again, blinking a few times for my eyes to adjust to the brightness, and what I see before me are the bright green grass and more grass. It's...daytime? And I'm lying on the ground on my side... ...I'm still alive? And what's this thing on my neck? I pull a hoof to touch my neck, and my hoof touches something furry, but it's not my neck.

"Mmmrrr..." I hear a purr of some sort close to my ear as whatever it is on my neck stirs. "...Five more minutes..."

...Well, ain't that cute? I'm on the ground, lying on my side, slowly being baked by the harsh sun, and Reykan appears to be sleeping behind my head, resting his head on my neck. ...Unfortunately, I don't have time for cute. I take a few breaths to prepare my pony body to move before I slowly rise up—

 _Thud!_ "...Mmmrrroowie..."

—on my four hooves. I hiss as I poke out of the tall grass, looking around. Damn... Is it hot today or what? Either I'm slightly feeling okay now or the heat is overtaking my brain's pain-o-meter to ignore the other ouchies I had last night.

...Speaking of... I blink and look down at the sleeping panther under the shade of my own shadow.

...He didn't eat me. For some strange reason, he didn't eat me while I was...out.

I blink... Wait, maybe this is a dream.

...Eh, or not... My slightly ouchie body and the freaking hot air is real enough for me to believe that I'm still alive. So...I'm still alive... Reykan didn't eat me. Should I count myself as lucky? Will Lady Luck continue to grace me or will she suddenly troll me sooner or later? Sigh... _In before she trolls me just as I'm about to meet Twilight..._

I look around and see Canterlot Mountain in the distance. The green hills are on the north and south, with a few specks of white on top of them. I turn and stare at the forest at the distance where we were supposed to be heading before I...blacked out last night... I guess my body was too freaking _stoned_ but I just ignored it... Right. I shouldn't do that again... At least, not with a predator nearby...

Anyway, the forest is still a distance away... And damn... It's freaking hot! I squint my eyes as I try to look up at the heavens. It's a freaking clear sky, as always. No clouds in sight, and the sun appears to be at its highest peak. I take a deep breath, feeling the hot air in my lungs, and exhale as I look back at the forest. Right... I've been walking around for a while, so if my calculations are correct, I'll probably reach the edge of the forest at around sunset. And that's if I don't faint from the heat and slash or exhaustion... Well, at least there are a few random trees around, so I can take a break and catch my breath under the tree's shade if I need to.

And then I feel how dry my mouth is. Damn, I'm thirsty. I look around again, but nope, no water. I sigh... If there was any water close by, the unicorns wouldn't be asking for rain clouds from the pegasi. _...Stupid rock-throwing unicorns._

Wait... I look back and stare at the tall Canterlot Mountain. Shouldn't there be a waterfall on that mountain? Uh, now that I think about it, where does the water from the waterfall come from? Eh...whatever. I should get a move on.

I lift a hoof up to take a step, but I brush it over something furry. Oh, right... Reykan. I put said hoof over his small shoulder and gently shake him awake. "Oi... Reykan."

No response.

I give him a small shake with my hoof again. "Kid... Wake up." Why am I even trying to wake him up? I should just...get a move on. Yeah, this panther knows where Twilight is, but he already told me enough details on how to find her. I go to that forest, find a lot of dead trees, and presto!

...Cockatrice, though...

I slightly shake my head and try to wake him up in a gentle manner. Hey, I can leave him here, but sooner or later, he'll find me eventually, probably be pissed that I left him here, and then will hunt me down and try to kill me. I might as well stay on his good side for a few more hours until I get to Twilight. It's safer that way, I guess? "Rey?"

"...mmmrrrriizufarkgurmph—" he says and some other random, mumbled letters... And nope, he's still snoring.

I roll my eyes and lean down to bite the skin behind his neck. What? I've seen cats do these things back home. That's how they carry their kids. And eck...fur is weird on the tongue. I hope there's some water in the forest for me to wash my mouth later.

My neck reminds me how painful it is as soon as I try to lift him up. Ow... Welp, this isn't going to work. I let go of him and spit the fur out of my mouth and tongue. Bleeehhhk... Zero over ten would try again...

I slightly shake my head and take a breath before I bring a hoof over his shoulder to shake him to wakefulness. "Rey, get up."

"...Mmmrrrr—I don't wanna..." and he bats my hoof away with a paw. "...Zzz..."

I roll my eyes and lie down on my belly right next to him. "Rey, I... _we_ need to get going."

"...Go on without me..." he mumbles as he tries to curl into a ball. "...I'm still hunting..."

I roll my eyes.

"...Rabbits...mmm..." he smiles in his sleep. "...ev...ree...where..."

I sigh. "Look, whatever. Just... crawl and sleep on my back so I can start heading to the forest." I blink. "...Actually, no. That's a bad idea." He'll be directly exposed to the freaking hot rays of the noon sun. I remember reading something about dark colored clothes absorb more of the sun's light, making the wearer feel hotter than those who are wearing light-colored clothes...

Well, my coat's a light shade of brown, so...whatever.

I slightly shake my head, stand up on four hooves and look around, trying to find...something... _anything_ that might help me. I can't just...stay here and wait for him to wake up. If I force him to wake up, he'll just slow us down by being sleepy and whatever. Unfortunately, all I see is green grass everywhere. I sigh as I slowly sit on my rump.

I blink. Huh...

I turn my head and look at my dark-brown tail. Hm... Ponies _can_ move their tails, right? Heck, I've seen Applejack use her tail to swing a lasso in the ai—I thought I already told myself _not_ to base everything here from the show? Eh, whatever... It's worth a try, I guess. I slowly stand back up and concentrate, trying to tell my brain to make my tail move.

Come on, sweaty tail... Move... Move. Uh, swing?

After a minute or two of trying, I give up. Yep, I'm a lazy bastard sometimes. I let out a tired and defeated sigh as I sit on my rump again, my ear slightly twitching when I hear Reykan mumble something in his sleep. Hm... I stare at the panther for a few seconds before I turn my head to look at my tail again. It's...long enough, I suppose.

I rise up, shuffle closer to the sleeping feline and sit down, resting my brown bum on the ground right next to Rey's. Carefully, I turn my upper body as far as I can before I grab my tail with one hoof and Reykan's tail with my other hoof.

...And then I remember that I can't grab stuff with my hooves. I take a deep, _deep_ breath and let out a heavy sigh... God freaking damnit...

...

... ...

... ... ...sigh... I should at least try. ...Yeah, sometimes I'm not totally a lazy bastard...

I push Reykan's tail away and grab my tail with both hooves. I place them on the ground by my thigh and start to...roll it like rolling an old newspaper by dragging both my hooves on my tail. It's...kinda working, so that's progress.

It takes me a while but I eventually manage to accomplish what I want; a rolled tail. I then lean my upper body to grab Reykan's tail with both hooves while I try not to move my lower body for fear that I might... _unroll_ my tail. I place Reykan's tail over my rolled tail, forming an 'x.'

...Right. Now for the tricky part; tying our tails... This...might take a while...

* * *

I let out an annoyed hiss as I ignore the weird feeling of my ass _dragging_ a panther with me. Said panther is still asleep, snoring loudly as he sleeps on his back against the moving earth underneath. The edge of the forest is still a distance away, but at least I'm moving towards it. Shadows fly over me, and without stopping, I look up with squinted eyes to see a large flock of birds flying by.

...And then I hear a faint sound of thunder. I blink and turn my head towards the direction of the sound. Huh... There's a very large and dark thunderstorm in the distance. I wonder if a pasture or two requested a storm? Why would anyone prefer a storm than rain?

Eh, whatever. That's not my problem.


	14. 1 - 14

My throat is killing me... I need some water... And I don't think 'a pasture or two' ordered a stormy sky _in all of Equestria_. Like...I've been walking for an hour or so under the intense heat of the noon sun, but now? The entire sky is covered with thick and dark clouds. What is even weirder is that there are no pegasi spreading the storm.

Is a storm a common thingie in this world? Well, it's not common back home, but a storm is a natural product of nature. I wonder if this storm...or any other storms here are a natural product of _this world's_ nature...

And then I feel the first of many cold rain drops hitting my nose. I let out a heavy sigh as a light drizzle starts to shower from the heavens, sending a soft yet cold breeze around that makes the tall grass sway with the wind.

...I tilt my head up, open my mouth wide and stick my tongue out. I think I look stupid, but I _seriously_ am thirsty and I got nothing else to drink.

Hm... Rainwater taste...weird... Or maybe that's because of how dry my tongue is...

"...Uuuurrrrrffff?" Oh, right... I'm still pulling Reykan by his tail with my tail. "S-stop spraying water on me..." he mumbles, probably half-awake. A pause. "Uh... What's going on?"

I ignore him as I relish on the cool and watery yet weird-tasting liquid gracing my tongue.

"Jay? Are you dragging me?" A pause. "...Why are our tails tangled?"

Still walking, I turn my head to give him a side glance, my tongue still out.

He blinks at me, his furred back sliding on the ground. "...Uh... What are you doing?"

I pull my tongue back. "Eh... Thirsty."

He blinks his sapphire eyes at me. "...You're drinking rainwater?"

I blink at him. "...Yes?"

"There's a water hole by my tree home, you know."

"Oh..." I turn my attention ahead as the drizzle turns into rain. I take a breath and sigh through my nostrils. "...Why—"

"Can you let go of my tail now?" he asks me. "...I can't feel the tip of my tail..."

...whoops? "Oh..." I stop, sit down and start to untangle our tails, but it's freaking difficult, especially with how tight I tied the knot I made with our tails...

"What are you doing now?"

"Trying to untangle our tails... What does it look like?"

He shrugs. "I dunno, but—" he lets out a big and long yawn. "Mrrffff... I slept like a rock." He sits up, pulling our tails away from my hooves. "Can I cut your tail?"

I arch him an eyebrow.

He shows me a paw, and pulls out four sharp nails underneath said paw.

I shrug. Whoa! I can shrug! Who knew? "Whatever works." My ear twitches. "Better make it fast though. This rain's starting to get stronger."

"Meh," he mehs, clawing my tail hairs near the tangled knot of tails. "Wild storms."

I blink, shivering slightly from how cold the air is now. "W-wild storms?"

"Yeah."

...

... ...

... ... ...no explanation on what those are? "What are wild storms?"

"Mom says that they're a bunch of angry clouds the flying ponies can't control."

Huh...

"Have you been dragging me ever since I fell asleep?" he asks, still cutting.

I slightly shake my head. "No. Only after I woke up." I pause. "So...you didn't eat me."

"Well, you said 'don't', so I didn't."

I blink.

He's still cutting my tail hairs, grunting a bit.

I blink again. "I did?"

"Well, yeah! You said 'please, don't' before you...slept? You have a weird way of sleeping though. Just...collapse on the ground. Doesn't that hurt?"

I didn't go to sleep. I blacked out... Not sure if I should tell him that. "...You'll get used to it..."

"Well, anyway... Not really sure what you meant by 'please, don't', so I only guessed that you meant not to eat you. After all, you still have to see this Twilight pony before you let me eat you. So yeah!" He pouts. "...I didn't get to hunt after you fell asleep though... Can't go hunting and leave you. Other preydators might take you away and I won't be able to eat you..."

Riiight... "Thanks... I guess?"

The moment I notice a small puddle of water forming beside me is the moment I realize that it's raining very hard now. I'm...soaking wet, and so is Reykan. Well, if there's a puddle...

I lean my head down and—

"Jay? I wouldn't drink that if I were you..."

—take a sip from it. I don't care if it has a taste of mud at the mome—my eyes cross and I spit and cough the vile-tasting water out of my throat and mouth. "Ack...!"

"Told ya... Aaand done!" Reykan chirps and quickly pulls his tail with his paws to untangle it from the tail hairs. It takes him a minute or two, but he's happy to have his tail back.

I cough and cough until there's no more of that nasty water in my mouth... "Ungh..."

"Horrible, isn't it?" He chuckles. "Well, at least you now know not to drink water from wild storms. Heheheh..."

I give him a tired glare, but my gaze then lands on his tail on his paws. "...Sorry about your tail."

He shrugs. "Meh. Not the worse thing that happened to my tail." He stands up on four paws and shakes the water off of his fur, only for the rain to soak him again. "I hate rain. Especially wild storms," he says. "I can't smell prey when it's raining like this. I can barely even smell you, and you're just sitting in front of me!"

Right... No idea how to respond to that. "Eh... We should move."

"Sure!" he walks pass me, leading the way.

I slowly stand on four aching hooves and walk after the small feline. "So, uh..."

"Hm?"

"...Why does...uh... _wild storm_ water taste...horrible?"

He shrugs. "Eh, I wouldn't know. Not even mom..."

"Oh..."

He turns his head over his shoulder and smile curiously at me. "So how'd you tie our tails together?"

I groan. "...I'd rather not talk about it."


	15. 1 - 15

Damn, this storm is strong. Reykan and I have been walking through the wet and dancing tall grass, heading towards the edge of the forest which is still a few more yards away, shivering from the cold rain and from the cold gusts, but we continue on.

And yesh... The two of us are soaking wet...

"Grrr... Th-this is why I hate wild storms..." I hear Reykan say, who's a few paces behind me. "They will suddenly show up a-and rains hard...like now!"

I keep my mouth shut and continue on, since I've no idea what to respond. And then I slip, my chin slamming first on the wet earth. "Oof!"

"Jay? Don't tell me you're falling asleep again!" he says as he stops beside me.

"Ngggh-no," I say through gritted teeth as I stand back up on four hooves, ignoring my aching dry throat. "Le-let's move on..."

He nods his head as I turn my attention ahead and continue to walk towards the edge of the forest, Reykan following close behind. We haven't seen any other living creature since the storm began and we barely say anything to each other though, but it's all okay for me—

"Wait," Reykan suddenly says. I stop and turn my head in time to see him turning his head to a direction, both his ears twitching. And then, despite the occasional howls of the wind, rumbling thunder up in the heavens, rustling tall grasses all around us and the loud and constant splashes of rainwater, I faintly hear my little feline companion's stomach growl. "I hear a rabbit."

I arch an eyebrow. I let out a sigh.

"...Probably a mouse... You go on ahead, Jay," he says without turning to me. "I'll...just catch up..." And he quietly walks away to a direction.

I shake my head and continue heading towards the edge of the forest. Right... So I'm all alone on this little journey of mine again...for the time being, at least. And whenever I'm all alone, my mind starts to wander elsewhere...like home...and my bro...and my mom...

How are they, I wonder? How many days have I been away from home now? Hm... Let's see... I woke up in this alternate Equestria outside Pinkie's and AJ's pasture. That was Monday morning... Spent a night in that forest route with Sienna and woke up still in that location. That was a Tuesday... Then we parted ways and I continued to the unicorns...and got stoned. Woke up in the evening, to Reykan dragging me... That was Tuesday evening...my supposed deadline. I then collapsed and woke up earlier today...at around noon...so it's a Wednesday afternoon at the moment.

The thick and dark clouds up above makes the afternoon look like the sun's already gone, with how dark everything looks, but not too dark like the evenings here. Whatever... I continue moving, slipping once or twice.

Hm... How should I deal with Twilight...? She'll be different, that's for sure... And if she is, then how is she supposed to help me get back home? I doubt she'd be researching about magic and other 'impractical' things... I doubt she can afford wasting time researching magic outside of basic necessities... That's how the creatures here work, right? Doing, performing and achieving only basic needs...

...I doubt she'll be sane enough to listen to me...

I sigh, slightly hanging my head low... Twilight won't be able to help me, apparently... And...in this world, she's crazy... Crazy enough to try and steal young cattle and...tele- _steal_ a bunch of gems from her own kind for unknown reasons... So yesh...she's definitely crazy... Now begs the question of why I'm still trying to go and see her. It's already obvious that she can't help me... It's...not hope to _hope_ that she can help me... It's now just pure _stupidity_... Many Equestrians already told me that Twilight's crazy, yet here I am, working my way to see her... This is going to be like the unicorns again... Despite what the others said, I ignored them, and look what happened?

I stop and hang my head lower, shivering from the coldness of everything around me... Damnit... I am...stuck here... Am I stuck here? Am I really going to be stuck here...forever? I...I-I don't want to live as a pony for the rest of my life! Damnit, no! I want to be with my family again! I want my hands back! And the internet! And...and...pizza! There...there has to be a way! A way for me to go home...! Some...some magical artifact or something...or anything!

"Pl-please..." I whisper through gritted teeth as I glare at the small puddles of water on the ground. "I...I-I can't stay here... I shouldn't be here...!" I slowly lift my head up, glaring at the dark heavens. "This...this is a mistake...! Why am I here? I shouldn't be here!" Rainwater hit my large eyes, and I angrily blink them away as I try to continue glaring at the sky. "Celestia... Luna...! Please help me...!" A low rumbling noise. "Help me g-get back home...! Please! Show yourselves to me! I-I don't care if I got here by magical accident or whatcrap! Just... Just..." I clench my eyes shut. "I want to go home!"

But of course...there's no reply. There's no one around to reply...

"...I want to go h-home..." I choke on a sob as I hang my head low, shivering from the cold gust of wind passing by.

"Then why not just head home?" I hear a loud, curious, cheerful and feminine voice right in front of me.

I blink and lift my head up to see a small and white...head...with an orange-colored beak poking out of the tall grass in front of me. "Uh..." I blink again. That's...a swan's head. There's a swan in front of me...

The white swan tilts her head slightly to the side, blinking her golden amber eyes at me. "Instead of," she shrugs, "standing under this storm." She smiles at me. "I'm sure you live close by, anyway!" She blinks, her smile fading, and suddenly she let's out a squawking gasp. "Oh my goodness! Don't tell me you're lost!"

"Er..." There's a swan standing in front of me... And it can talk...

"Oh... You poor thing." She quickly extends a large, white and feathery wing to hold my cheek— _thud thud thud!_ —but she stops and looks down, gasping with another squawk again. "Oh, clumsy me...!" She folds her wing back to her side and starts grabbing the fallen carrots and some other small vegetables on the muddy ground with her beak and hides them under her now-folded wing.

"Uh..." There's a talking swan picking carrots in front of me...

"Brr..." she shivers as soon as she tucks the last carrot under her wing. "I sometimes forget that I'm bringing something...well, a _lot_ of something under my wings." She chuckles airily, but stops as soon as her gaze lands on me. "Oh my! I forgot that I'm talking to a pony!"

"Uhhh..." There's a talking swan talking to me...

"Oh, where are my manners?" She violently shakes her head. "Twilight taught me better than this..." She then smiles awkwardly at me. "Well, she sometimes teaches me stuff when she's not...what was that term she mentioned? Episodes? Eh..." She shrugs again and then gives me a beaked smile. "Hi there, mister pony. My name's—!"

"Grrraaaarrr—!" A black blur pounces on the white swan, leaving a few spinning carrots and other vegetables in the air before they fall on the muddy ground.


	16. 1 - 16

"Rey! Wait!" I shout as I finally snap back to my senses, rushing towards the scene.

"Ahhh—!" the swan shrieks in pain and fright as a young black panther's claws hold the struggling swan in place. She flaps her wings wildly, ineffectively pounding them on the feline as she moves her head left and right to avoid Reykan's jaw snapping at her neck.

I stop behind Reykan and quickly wrap my two hooves around his back and chest, pulling him away but he wouldn't let go of the panicking swan. "Rey! Stop it—!" I shout, but my mouth is suddenly filled with feathers. I spit it out of my mouth but I then hold my breath when I catch a glimpse on Rey's sapphire eyes that no longer has their curious glimmer. His eyes are cold and feral, and it sends a fearful shiver in my entire pony body...

"Grr—!"

"H-help me, mister pony!"

I take a breath to calm myself and to give me enough mental strength to push the fear aside for a while... "Rey... Rey."

"Grrar!" he lunges, fanged jaw at the ready, but I pull him back—his back on my chest now—just before his jaw can snap at the panicking swan's thin neck.

I tighten my hold on Rey with one hoof as I dare to pull my other hoof away to push his clawed grip off of the swan. I slide my hoof behind his paws and—"Aaahhhh—!" Holy shit! Reykan's biting my hoof and his clawed paws are now on said hoof! "Reykan! Gaaah—!"

"Odette's feathers!" the swan cries as she struggles to pull herself away from us.

"Reykan!" I cry in pain as I try to push and hit him with my other hoof, but he won't let go. "Gah! Rey! Stop!" He starts to pull my hoof and shake his head in an attempt to, what, dismember me? "Knock it off, Rey!" The pain is too painful, my eyes starting to water, and I'm pretty sure it's not because of the strong storm up above. I hit his head and face with my other hoof, but he's still biting me, his cold and feral blue eyes locked on my hoof.

I faintly hear flapping noise, but I didn't mind at the moment. What I mind, though, is the fact that Rey's rear flies up, carrying the rest of his body and pulling my hoof up with him.

"Ack! T-the hell—?!" I hiss as I stare at the large, white and flapping swan who is grabbing Rey's tail with her black and webbed feet, and she's struggling to fly due to the strong gusts of air in an attempt to help me pull Rey off of my hooves, I think?

"Don't worry, mister pony!" I hear her voice through the painful waves of pain and the howls of wind. "Just continue hitting the beast and he'll let go! ...Eventually!"

Rey's flailing his rear paws but still has his front paws and his fanged mouth on my hoof. A strong gust of air blows Miss Swan to the direction behind me, pulling her and Rey along with it. Reykan's furred head headbutts me on my muzzle, pushing me back on the ground.

"Oof!" I gasp as my back slams on the muddy ground. I hear a startled squawk, and then a feathery _thud_ noise against the wet grass and ground. I suddenly feel the jaw and claws let go of my painful hoof to my great relief—

"Rwaaarrr—!"

Rey's fanged jaw immediately bites my neck! "Gah—! R-Rey!" Oh god! The pain! Not again! And he adds his clawed paws on my neck! "Reykan! Stop! Stop!" I shout as I flail my hooves in a panic.

An orange beak biting an orange carrot flies on the side of my darkening vision.

 ** _THUNK!_**

"Grrrraaaaah—!" Rey's fangs and sharp claws pulls away from my bleeding neck.

I jolt up and see him shaking and trying to get rid of the carrot inserted inside of his ears. I wince, more from the thought of almost half a carrot being shoved inside one's ear.

"Quick!" I hear my swan savior say. I turn to her and immediately frown. "Help me pick these carrots and potatoes!" she says as she hurriedly picks a vegetable and tucks them under her wings.

"Really?! A freaking panther almost killed us and you're worried about—!"

"Jay?"

I stop, feeling a cold shiver run through my spine as I slowly turn my head towards the young panther. I see him sitting on the muddy ground, staring weirdly at a carrot on the ground in front of him.

"Why is this...thing inside my ear?"

An orange beak quickly grabs the offending carrot out of his sight.

"Hey!" he shouts, glaring at the panicky swan. He blinks, and I notice his sapphire eyes slowly losing their glimmer again.

I immediately slam a hoof over his head.

"Ow!" he hisses, rubbing his head with both front paws as he throws a glare at me. "What was that fo—you're bleeding!"

I frown at him. "Thanks to you."

"I think that's most of them!" the swan quickly says. She then bites my ear and starts pulling me away.

"Ow ow ow—! Let go—!"

"Why is that swan biting you?"

"You tried to—damnit, let go!" I pull my head back, removing my ear from the swan's beak. I throw a glare at her that lasts for a short while before turning back to Rey. "And you tried to kill us earlier!"

"What?" he blinks. "I was chasing a rabbit!"

"Really?" I point a hoof at the swan's bleeding stomach...or chest...whatever. I don't know my bird biology thingie. "You tried to kill her," I say before I point said hoof to my neck. "And then you tried to kill me!"

He blinks at me, slightly tilting his head to the side. "...No wonder there's a familiar taste in my mouth..."

I glare at him. And then I feel how painful my hoof and neck are. The adrenaline or whatever is probably gone, my body reminding me of its newly-acquired wounds. I hiss, and slam my not-hurt hoof on Rey's head again.

"Ow!"

"Don't look at her like that!"

"But she's food!"

"No, she's not!"

"Actually..." the swan quietly interrupts us, smiling nervously. "I _am_ food. To beasts like him."

"Don't side with him!" I tell her.

"But she's right!" Reykan interjects.

I glare at him. "You stay out of this!"

He blinks at me. "But I am! We're all outside!"

"That's not what I meant!"

"Then what do you mean, mister pony?"

"Shut up!" I holler. And then a loud crash of thunder echoes from the heavens. I take fast and deep breaths to calm myself down. "Goddamnit. Just...shut up, you two, for now." I take a deep breath, hold it in for a while, and exhale through my mouth. I then glare at Reykan. "You. Don't eat her."

He pouts at me. "But I want to..."

"Fine, just...not right now when I'm here—"

"Why can't I eat her when you're around—"

"Rey, just don't fucking eat her!" I glare at him. I blink. I wince. "Er... Th-that came out wrong..."

He innocently blinks at me. "What came out wrong? And what does fucking mean?"

I wince, and I then carefully shake my head. "Never mind. You'll know when you grow older. Just...don't eat her."

He frowns at me. "But I don't understand why I shouldn't eat—"

"Just please don't ea—"

"Fiiine..." he grumbles, glaring at one of the many tall grass around us.

I blink at him.

"But I'm still hungry... That rabbit got away from me..."

I take a breath and sigh... "You can hunt later..." I tiredly turn to face the swan, who's a hoof or two away from us, quietly staring at us.

Her gaze shifts from Rey to me, and she blinks.

"You, mis—"

"Do you two know each other?" she asks, tilting her small head to the side.

"Er...yeah. Kinda." I glance at Rey, who's curiously staring at the swan, his sapphire eyes not cold nor feral. I look back at the swan. "Anyway, uh—"

"You're bleeding," she interrupts me.

I frown, feeling a warm and thick liquid running down my neck and hoof. "Yes, I noti—"

"We should get you healed up!" she quickly interjects, moving towards me.

I lean back, glaring at her. "Get your beak away from my ear!"

She stops and frowns at me. She then turns her whole body and stops, staring at a direction. "Twilight might know of a way to help you heal up." She blinks. "And me."

I blink. "Right, about that—"

She quickly turns to look at me. "We should go to her tree quickly!"

I raise an eyebrow. I turn to Rey.

He looks at me and shrugs. "Can I eat you both after you guys see Twilight pony?"

I sigh and turn to the swan. "...You know where she lives?"

She blinks, and smiles. "Well, of course!" She extends a wing to her chest. "I am her assi—oh feathers..." She picks up the fallen vegetables and tucks them inside her wing again. With that done: "As I was saying, I'm her assistant! And I'm bringing her these for her to eat!"

I nod tiredly. "Right... Whatever. Lead the way then." I blink. Wait... I thought that I already told myself that Twilight can't—

"Hey!" Reykan suddenly says, breaking my train of thought. "I thought I was the one who'll lead you to her?"

I frown at him. "...You both can lead me to her then."

Miss Swan shakes her head and nervously looks at the pouting panther. "I-ah-uh... I'm not...gonna walk beside a beast..."

I groan. "Rey will lead the way then."

"Yey!"

The swan frowns at me. "Do you trust him that much?"

I blink. "Er... Yeah, kinda... I guess." I slightly shake my head. "I don't even know your name."

She—

"And stop dropping your vegetables! Sheesh!"

—calms herself down, clears her throat and gives me a small albeit nervous smile. "My name's Seri, and—"

A strong gust of wind passes us by, making the wet grass sway violently with it.

Seri the swan shivers slightly. "We should head to Twilight's tree home before this storm becomes more violent."

I blink. This storm's already strong...kinda, but it'll become stronger still? I turn to Reykan.

He's staring at the swan for a short while before he turns his head and blinks at me. "...What?"

"...Lead the way."


	17. 1 - 17

"So," Seri breaks the silence as she turns her head to look at me. "You're Jay?"

I blink and give her a side glance. "Ah, right... I didn't properly introduce myself. Er... Ourselves."

We're inside the forest now, Seri and I following Reykan who's leading the way after a quick visit from our little panther's little watering hole near the edge of this forest to relieve my thirst. True to our swan companion's words, the storm really did became stronger, but thankfully, the gloomy forest shields us from most of the rain and gusts of air. The treetops are swaying with the strong winds, creating loud and constant rustling noises that accompanies the howls of the wind and the occasional roar of thunder. It's still cold, but I guess the three of us have already grown used to it to take little notice... Eh...

I return my attention ahead, staring at Reykan. "My name's Jay." I point at our feline companion by bobbing my head forward. "The little guy who tried to kill us earlier is Reykan." I see Rey's ear twitch, but he didn't say anything as he turn around a tree, Seri and I following him close behind.

I blink. Huh... Rey mentioned about cockatrices living here... If so, then I've yet to see statues of—

"Nice to meet you two," Seri says as she nods her head, breaking my train of thought. "So, are you here to see Twilight?"

I nod. "Yeah..." I furrow my brows. "And no. I'm not here to court her."

"Bleahk," Reykan bleahks, shivering, probably not from the cold air. "Gross..." He throws a disgusted glare at me. "Is that _really_ why you wanna see her?"

I roll my eyes. Sheesh, and here I thought at least _one_ of those I meet wouldn't pair me with Twilight. "Rey, I just said no. And pay attention to the road ahead."

He blinks at me as his front paw steps on a shiny rock on the ground. "What roa—whoa—!" Aaand he slips. "—oof!"

"Told you," I say after a snicker.

Rey quickly stands back up on his four paws and sticks his tongue out at me before he continues walking.

"Squee~!" Seri suddenly squees with a wide, wide beaked grin and with twinkling eyes. "You two look so adorable."

...And I'm suddenly paired with Reykan.

"I'm not adorable!" Reykan throws her a glare. "I'm fearsome!"

"Oh, of course you are!" Seri says as she leans her long neck forward to nuzzle the shivering panther's cheek and lower jaw, making our feline companion to stop walking. "When you're older, but right now? Oh, you're so adorable! Squee~!"

"Ja-a-a-ay?" Reykan throws a nervous look at me. "I-I don't like being nuzzled."

I stick my tongue out at him.

"Can I eat her now?"

"Eek!" Seri quickly jerks her head away from him.

I smile an amused smile. "Well, at least you now know what to say to make her stop nuzzling you."

Reykan frowns at me as his ears twitches. He blinks and looks back to the direction we are heading.

Seri and I look ahead as well, and not too far ahead, we see a brown figure emerging from the trees. The familiar figure stops and turns her head to look at us, her emerald eyes blinking.

I arch an eyebrow. Is that—?

"Jay?" she calls out. Yep, her voice definitely sounds like the deer I met a day or two ago. Sienna, was it? "There's a panther right in front of you!" A pause. "...And a swan standing beside you."

My arched eyebrow arches even more. "...So I've noticed."

"Oh!" Reykan suddenly chirps. "I remember now!" He looks at me with a smile. "That's the deer you were with a day or two ago!"

I blink at him.

"Can I eat her later, too?"

"What?" Sienna gasps, taking a dainty step back.

I shake my head.

Reykan pouts. "Aww..."

Seri chuckles. "That's what you get when you hang around us non-meat eaters." She turns her head and smiles at me. "Isn't that right, Jay?"

Reykan pouts even more.

"Hang...around?" Sienna mutters under her breath. How I heard it from the violent rustling of leaves up above, I'll never know.

Seri then turns her head to look and smile at the deer standing ahead of us. "Hel—"

I quickly put a hoof on her twitching wing and push it firmly on her side.

She looks at me and gives me a blank blink. "Oh, right..." She smiles sheepishly before turning back to the deer. "Hello!"

I sigh as I bring my hoof back down... Great...just what every hero in every adventure story needs... A couple of misfits as his adventure buddies... Drum roll... We have a tough and innocent meat-eating panther cub, a sweet and clumsy swan, and the return of the trying-to-be-independent deer who moved out of her herd. And to complete the set, a human-turned pony who's neck and hoof are slightly bleeding... Joy... If I ever get back home, I'm gonna write this adventure of mine on FanFiction... Sigh...

"Jay..." I hear Sienna call, a lot of concern and fear in her voice. "There's a panther in front of you! Why aren't you running away?"

I shrug. Damn, I still can't believe I can shrug as a pony. "He's taking me to Twilight."

She arches an eyebrow and then shakes her head. "I know love can drive anydeer do crazy things, but," she glares at me, "asking a panther for directions?! That's just the stupidest thing I've ever heard!"

Seri nods in complete agreement. "I know, right?"

"Totally!" Sienna shouts.

Reykan turns to me with a confused look. "...What is she talking about?"

I let out a sigh. "...Rey, you can eat them now."

The two females gasp in unison.

Rey's eyes twinkles. "Really?!" He blinks, the twinkles fading. He then furrows his brows. "You really don't mean that, do you?"

I give him a tired smirk.

Reykan grumbles, glaring aside. "...Can we continue going to Twilight pony now?"

I nod my head.

Reykan then moves forward, towards the frightened deer. He immediately turns, ignoring the deer who gives him a confused look. She then throws that same look at me and Seri as we follow our little panther.

"Jay?" she calls quietly.

"Hm?" I hm without stopping.

"Jay...!" she hisses as the distance between us grows. "Why are you...?! Why...?! Gah!" One second later, she's walking nervously beside me— _damn, she's fast_ —her head hanging a little low as she nervously eyes the panther. "W-why are you _still_ following him?"

"I could ask you the same question."

She gives me a side glare. "I'm serious! And I'm not following him... I'm following _you_!"

I frown at her. "So am I." A pause. "The serious part, I mean..."

"What if he'll lead you to more of his kind?!" she hisses quietly, still glaring at me. "I've seen a few panthers around here just before this wild storm showed up!"

I arch her an eyebrow. "...Why are you still here then if panthers scare you?"

She opens her mouth to reply, but no words come out. She closes her mouth, but her glare intensifies.

I roll my eyes before I turn to our swan companion.

She's smiling at me. "So, who's she?" Seri looks at the deer walking beside me with a sway of her long neck. "She looks pretty. I love how green her eyes are."

"She's Sienna." I then turn back to my deer companion. I might as well introduce her to the others. "The swan's name is Seri. The _scary and adorable_ panther—" I notice Reykan shiver from the corner of my eyes. "—is Reykan."

"Please don't call me adorable, Jay," Reykan quietly says, his ears drooping. "B-because I'm not..."

Seri chuckles merrily, earning a groan from our little panther.

"You didn't answer my question," Sienna hisses.

I roll my eyes. "You didn't answer mine, ei—" I cut myself off with a roll of my eyes. I turn to Seri. "Are we heading to Twilight?"

Seri blinks at me and nods her head. "Well, yes. Actually," she says as she turns her attention ahead. "We're already—"

"We're here," Reykan suddenly announces, stopping at the edge of the tree line.

Sienna and I stop walking and look ahead.

"Twilight!" Seri calls as she waddles on dead brown earth, heading towards a big, tall and leafless tree in the center of this dead clearing. "I'm baaaaaack! And we have guests!" she calls out against the howls of angry air and rustling leaves.

I'd like to look at my surroundings, but my gaze is locked on that giant dead-looking tree. It...kinda resembles the Golden Oaks Library...minus the windows and the green leaves. There's a big hollow on the base of the tree, covered by a makeshift door made of some kind of wood.

"Jay?" I hear Reykan say as I hear his muffled pawsteps approaching me, and Sienna's stabby footsteps backing away from me. "Why are you just standing there?"

My heart is racing, and I don't know if it's because of excitement, or nervousness. Probably both. Uh...nervouscited?

"Jay?"

"He's zoning out," I hear Sienna say.

I ignore the sounds that I hear as my mind starts going overdrive once again...

Twilight can help me.

No... No, she can't! She's different!

But what if she's not?

But she doesn't study advance or whatever magical nonsense in this world!

But I thought I told myself that even if there's a zero point zero zero one percent chance that she could help me, then—

A black and wet tail taps my muzzle. I blink and my eyes cross as I stare at it.

"See?" I hear Sienna say. "I told you he was zoning out."

I shake my head as Rey's tail moves away from me and I turn my head aside to see Sienna snickering at me.

"Love does that to anydeer."

I frown at her. "I thought you're scared of pa—"

"Then I'm glad I'm a panther and not a deer, then." Reykan interjects. "But... Jay's a pony—"

Sienna suddenly gasps, earning my and Reykan's attention. "You're wounded!"

I blink, suddenly feeling the numbness around the wounds on my neck and hoof. "Uhh—"

"Hold still," Sienna commands, leaning her head forward and aiming her two little stubs on her head at me. Her two stubs glow a faint green light.

I blink. "Uh... W-what are you doi—" I jolt and shiver as I suddenly feel a strange feeling around my neck wound.

Sienna hisses as she glares at me, the already faint emerald glow around her head stubs dimming even fainter. "I said hold still!"

I throw her a glare of my own. "What are you even doing to me, anyway?"

She lifts her head up to give me the full force of her glare. "Healing your wound. What does it look like I'm doing?!" she angrily shouts at me, making me take a step back. She once again leans her head forward and aims her two little stubs at me. "Now hold still!"

"Yes ma'am," I say before I close my eyes shut. And then I feel that strange tingling sensation around my neck. It's...really _freaking_ weird and my instincts are telling me to move away. But I try my hardest to ignore those urges, to stay still and to try and focus on the strange sensation instead.

Despite the coldness of the weather, I feel a soothing warmth around my wound. I can't really describe what's going on, but I'll try anyway... I feel like these strange tingling sensations around my wound are like...stitching my wound close? That's the closest comparison I can think of at the moment. I feel the many and tiny needle-like stabs _sewing_ my wound through the soothingly warm feeling. It's...freaking weird. It doesn't feel painful, just...weird. Soon, the tiny stabby feelings stopped and is replaced by the feeling of something, or tiny _somethings_ coming out around my wounds, making me wince from how strange it feels.

"Done," I hear Sienna say as the warm and tingling sensation slowly disappears from my wound, and I slowly open my eyes in time to see her lean her head back and looks at me fully. "A bite wound..." she says as she turns her head to look at Reykan who has an awestruck look on his face. "With four fanged wounds..." She glares at him. "...I wonder from whom...?"

I carefully lift a hoof to rub my neck where the wound...was once was. It's...completely gone now, replaced by pony skin and fur. "Wow..." I breathe out. She healed me! "Thanks, Sienna." I want to smile, but I frown instead as I see her still glaring at Reykan. "And uh, it's not really his fault. Really..." ...Because hunting and killing is natural for predators like Rey, right? Sigh... This is a messed up world...

She quickly shifts her glare at me. "He bit you! And you're saying that it's not his—" she stops, the anger in her eyes fading as she stares at my raised hoof.

I blink, extend my raised hoof forward so I can take a better look at it. "Oh... Yeah... I got wounded here, too."

Sienna sighs as she aims her faintly glowing stubs at my hoof. "Hold still..."

I stare at my green-glowing hoof wound as I feel those strange tingling sensations again. The green glow is actually making me see my healing wound clearer though. I see my wounds slowly closing as the needle-like sensations tingle around my wounds. After my wounds are completely gone, I see brown fur growing out of the newly-healed skin, covering the wound completely.

"Cool!" Reykan suddenly chirps as the emerald glow disappears from my outstretched hoof. He smiles a wide and excited smile at our deer nurse. "I didn't know that a deer could do that!"

Yeah, neither did I. Then again, I don't really read the pony comics, so who knows what the deer are capable of doing.

"It was just a simple healing spell," I hear a familiar female voice behind our little panther, making my mind go blank as I see Sienna turn her attention away from me to look at _whoever_ was standing behind, or in front of Reykan (if he already turned around after hearing _her_ voice). "But ordinary unicorns will probably take a year at most to cast such a simple spell." A pause. "Maybe a healing spell is a natural spell for the deer kind that anydeer can learn, just like a levitation spell which is a natural spell for unicorns." Another pause. "Oh, gosh! Where are my manners?!" A shuffling of hooves. "Please, please, come inside! We'll continue once we're all inside and after I cast a quick drying spell on you all." A pause. "Um... Why is your pony friend over there standing still like that?" Another pause. "I don't see a cockatrice around."

"There are cockatrices around here?!" Sienna shrieks in fright, and she then dashes towards...somewhere, probably inside the big dead tree if Seri's faint and startled yelp is anything to go by...


	18. 1 - 18

A quiet roar of thunder echoes from the heavens, piercing through the loud whistles of the stormy air, the loud rustling noises of the leaves on the swaying treetops and the many splattering raindrop noises.

"Well," I hear Twilight say as I finally am able to get a grip on myself. I turn and see her and Reykan staring at the wide opened 'door' of her home.

She looks like Twilight from the show. Erm...minus the wings.

Miss Purple then turns back to us—er, to Reykan, her smile faltering a bit. "Uh..." She moves her gaze to me, her smile steadying. "You two should come inside as well!" She looks up and around. "I don't think this storm's stopping any time soon, plus," she looks back at us with a small chuckle, "being outside under a wild storm's not a good place for a chat."

She talks like Twilight from the show...

"Meh..." Reykan meh's. "I've been through worse. And I didn't come here to _chat_ with you, anyway." He turns his head over his shoulder to look at me. "It's Jay here who wants to talk with you."

Twilight nods her head. "I see. But I insist that the two of you to come inside."

She's too friendly, too. Just like in the show...

She looks aside, her smile gone. "...The sooner, the better," she mutters under her breath in a worried tone, making me arch an eyebrow.

"Can't," Reykan says adamantly as he looks around. "I'm hungry and I need to hunt something to eat."

I blink at him. "...But I thought you said that you can't smell anything with this storm."

His ears droop. "...I can try and listen to them...?" He sighs in defeat as he turns to Twilight. "...Fiiine... I guess I can come inside and watch you guys do...pony stuff..."

I roll my eyes as Twilight chuckles.

Reykan then turns to fully look at me. "But if I get _too_ hungry, can I eat the swan?"

"N—"

"Hopefully, it won't come to that," Twilight interjects with a wince. She then gestures with her head to follow her before she turns around and walks towards her home. "And...Reykan, was it?" Twilight says a bit louder so we can hear her through the loud noises of rustling leaves. "I doubt you can find animals who are out and about in this nasty storm."

I bite my tongue as I follow the two of them. This is Twilight... She's _the_ Twilight... I think? Maybe? I'm not sure. I mean...she _sounds_ and _looks_ like Twilight, but...that can't be right...right? The Equestrians that I've talked to had told me that Twilight's...crazy. But she doesn't look crazy. She doesn't act crazy. Although her talking about magic _might_ sound crazy to some...

Twilight walks inside the open door, the darkness eating her up. Reykan follows, and soon, I step inside to...to...uh...

"Oh! Hey there, Twilight!" Seri greets us as I gawk at the interior of Miss Purple's...home?

Is this place what I think it is? One would expect that the place would be dark and creepy-looking. Heck, while we were approaching the open door, I can't see anything but darkness inside the dead tree, but now that we're inside? It looks...looks...

It looks like a brightly-lit library. _The_ library. _The Golden Oaks Library._

"Why does it smell weird in here?" is the first thing Reykan notices inside the library.

The air smells like old books! And yes, I know what old books smell like. I go to the library at least once a week, because my lazy bro's too lazy to go there and fetch a book or two that he needs...

Even Sienna looks confused as she darts her curious eyes left and right.

"So... Is this what inside a tree looks like?" Reykan asks as he looks around the many, _many_ items around that I think looks very foreign for him. "It looks...really different from my den... Or maybe pony trees look like this?"

I hear Twilight chuckle as I blink at Reykan. "I thought you live in a tree?"

He turns and blinks at me. "Well...yeah."

"A tree hollow," Twilight suddenly says, looking at us. "It's a hole on a tree that's naturally formed where animals use to—"

"I get it, I get it," I say with a frown. Sheesh, even _this_ Twilight tries to explain everything...like in the show... I blink and realize that we're no longer outside under the storm. I look down and stare at the small puddle of water around my four hooves, my wet fur dropping droplets of water on it. I trail my eyes forward, noticing a few trails of water that are leading to the other creatures inside the library. I smile an awkward smile at Miss Purple. "Eh...heheh... Uh, um... Sorry for uh, _wetting_ your floor?" Shut up, brain.

She blinks at me...and nods. "Well, anyway, hold still, everypony," she says as she turns around and walks to the center of the _room_ , her horn glowing with bright purple magic.

"Every _body_ ," Seri... _corrects_ her? The swan chuckles. "There are only two ponies in this tree, Twilight."

Twilight rolls her eyes as she turns to face Reykan and me. She quickly tilts her head down, aiming her glowing horn at the both of us and immediately fires a purple beam of magic at—

"Gah—!"

"Aaah—!"

—our shrieking selves! I flinch, close my eyes and bring a hoof in front of me to shield myself from the beam of magic, but after a few seconds of nothing but feeling warm and hearing swan giggles, I slowly open my eyes to see a reddish bubble field surrounding me and Rey. I look back at Twilight, who is giving me a sheepish smile. Behind her, Seri is giggling while Sienna is sighing in relief.

"A little warning next time, princess?" I say in an angry tone as I glare at Twilight.

"I'm sorry," she quietly says as the air around me is getting warmer. "I got used to cast spells witho—" she cuts herself off, blinking at me. "...'Princess?'"

"Jay, look!" Reykan suddenly says, stealing my attention. He smiles at me before turning his attention at the red bubble wall around us. He then pokes a paw on it, his paw passing through. His smile widens. "We can get out of this magic trap thing!"

"It's not a trap," Twilight frowns at him. "It's a quick-drying spell, a special kind of magic that creates a small field—a bubble—and turns the air warm within that field."

Reykan blinks at her. He then gives me a confused look. "Uh... I didn't understand what she just said."

Seri giggles.

Yesh... Listening to Twilight talk about magic is pretty cool. In the show, at least. But in _real time_? It kinda sounds weird and _out of place_ , especially in this version of Equestri—wait... Why is she talking about magic like she's the Twilight from the show? Why does she even talk _and look_ just like in the show?! Could she be really—?

I snap back to reality to see Twilight encasing herself, Seri and Sienna in a reddish bubble to dry themselves off.

"Seri?" Twilight says as the bubble field around me and Rey starts to fade. "Did I just see things earlier or are your wounds have already disappeared?"

As soon as the red bubble field around me and Rey disappears, the warm air disappears and makes way for the cool and book-smelling air as I feel...nice for being a dry pony again.

"Oh, that?" the swan blinks and then smiles as she turns to look at our deer companion. "Sienna here was kind enough to heal my wounds with her green glowy magic!"

Reykan shakes his body, sits down and starts licking a paw.

"Really?" Twilight turns to Sienna and gives her a warm smile. "That's really kind of you, uh, Sienna, was it?" She receives a small nod from the deer. "Thank you for healing my assistant. I—We really appreciate it."

"Um," Sienna fidgets from where she stands. "I-it's no trou—"

"We mean it!" Seri suddenly chirps cheerfully, nuzzling the deer's cheek. "We appreciate you helping me, Sienna!"

"At least I'm not the one being nuzzled," Reykan mutters before he stands up and walks away from me.

"Uh..." Sienna awkwardly accepts the nuzzle as she darts her confused eyes at me.

I give her a shrug.

"Bleahk..." I hear Reykan bleahk.

I turn my head towards his voice and see him reeling away from the many books on the lower shelf of the closest bookshelves.

"What are these...things?" he asks, eyeing the neatly-arranged books suspiciously. "They smell like...like..."

"Old books?" I offer.

"Yeah!" A pause. He blinks. He turns and gives me a confused look. "What's a books? I know what 'old' means, but I don't know what 'books' are."

"Exactly," Twilight suddenly says, catching both our attentions. The red bubble around the trio is already gone and Miss Purple is giving me a suspicious look for some odd reason. "No one, _and I mean no one_ , in this _world_ knows what books are." She blinks. "...Except for me, of course."

"And me!" Seri chirps, raising a white, feathery wing up. "Because Twilight taught me what books are!" She blinks. "Well, when she's not having one of her episodes."

Twilight winces at that. She nevertheless shakes her head and opens her mouth to—

A sweet and delicious aroma suddenly attacks our nostrils, making the swan jerk her head towards the large entryway on the wall which I assume leads to the kitchen. "Whoops! Food's almost ready!" she says in a cheerful tone as she waddles toward the kitchen.

"Deer god..." Sienna has her nose up in the air, sniffing the aroma with eyes closed and lips curved. "What a delicious smell...!"

Even Reykan's raising his nose up in the air, sniffing the aroma. And then his stomach makes itself known to us. "I don't know what that smell is, but it smells better than fresh rabbit meat!"

I hear my stomach growl and feel my mouth water. I smile an awkward smile before turning to the frowning unicorn, making my ears and smile droop.

"...Normally, you should be raising your nose up and smelling that scent, too," she says. "...like what your two companions are doing."

"I'm..." I arch an eyebrow. "...sorry?"

She takes a step towards me, suspicion in her eyes. "First, you called me 'princess.'"

My arched eyebrow arches even more. "...Is something wrong with calling you that?"

"Yes," she replies quietly, almost growling. "Because the ponies and others I've met before you have called me crazy, and other hurtful titles."

"Is 'princess' a hurtful title?" Sienna suddenly asks, tilting her head to the side as she curiously eyes Twilight.

The unicorn blinks and turns to look at her. "Uh... Well... No. Not really..."

She smiles at her. "Well, I've thought so." She eyes me, and I roll my eyes. "Because I doubt some _pony_ who wants to court you would ever say something bad in front of you."

Reykan shudders in disgust.

Twilight blinks at her. "What...do you mean?"

"Potatoes are still a bit hard!" Seri calls from inside the kitchen. "It'll probably take a little while for them to be ready!"

"Take your time!" Twilight shouts back, still staring at the grinning deer.

"This delicious smell is from potatoes?" Reykan asks in astonishment.

Seri pokes her head out from the kitchen entryway to smile at our panther companion. "And carrots!" And she pulls her head back.

"...Back to the matter at hoof. Er, the other matter, I mean." Twilight shakes her head. "What do you mean, somepony who wants to court me would never—" aaand her egghead of a head finally figures out what Sienna meant. She quickly snaps her head back to face me, looking surprised. "You—you want to—?"

"No," I say firmly as I throw a glare at Sienna. "I am not here to court Twilight or to ask her to be my freaking mate, for Pete's sake, Sienna! I've told you this a few times already."

Seri's white head pokes out from the kitchen entryway again to blink at us. "...Maybe Jay wants Sienna to be his mate?"

"What?!" both deer and stallion shout as the two turn to her. And oh, that stallion is me.

"No?" Seri blinks at the two of us. "Then who is Jay courting? Is it Re—"

"Don't you freaking finish that sentence," I tell her with a glare. "Or you'll be a roast duck by the time you get out of that freaking kitchen."

She blinks at me. "Uh... I'll pretend that's something scary that'll happen to me, so... Eep!" and she quickly pulls her head out of view.

An awkward silence hangs in the library's...living room? Main room? Book room? Whatever.

Twilight lets out a sigh as she rubs her head with a hoof. "Let's take a few hooves back, shall we?" She looks at me, eyes not-so-suspicious anymore. "Even if you didn't say 'princess' to court...uh...me," she blushes slightly. She shakes her head to get rid of that foreign color off of her face. "...I doubt that anypony... _anyone_ in this world knows what that word means. I doubt anyone even knows that such a word exist!" She furrows her brows. "So how come you know that word? And books? And why weren't you sniffing the air? And roast duck? Kitchen?" She shakes her head and glares at me afterwards. "It sounds like you're..."

When I was following Twilight and Reykan towards the library door, I pictured it in my head that it was me who will be doing all the questioning to Twilight, and not the other way around...

"You're not Equestrian..." Twilight says firmly. "You're not _this Equestria's_ version of Equestrian." She takes a step towards me, making me take a step back. "So I'm going to ask you something and I hope you'll give me a straight answer." Her horn glows bright, and I hear the door slam shut behind me, making me jump. Horn magic disappearing, she glares and glares at me as tears start to form on her eyes. "Pl-please..." she says, pausing after choking on a sob. Her angry features are gone, and is now replaced by worry, fear, confusion and uncertainty. "...tell me... W-what happened?" A tear or two runs down her face as she sits down a hoof or two or three from me. She hangs her head, sniffing, _crying._ "I...I don't understand what's going on. I don't know what happened!" She raises her head up, tearfully looking at me. "There was a bright light! And...a-and suddenly...I found. I f-found—"

"Food's ready!" Seri suddenly chirps as she emerges from the kitchen, carrying a large, metallic and steaming cooking pot with her two large wings wearing green-colored gloves. She wobbles her way to the large reading table beside the seated unicorn and places the pot down on the center. She smiles warmly at us before she turns around and wobbles back to the kitchen. "Now, just hold your appetite for a few as I go and grab us some bowls! And a spoon for Twilight! I doubt any of you knows what a spoon is!" She chuckles at her own joke as she disappears behind the kitchen walls.

Silence...

"I'm baaack~!" Seri emerges from the kitchen again, balancing five bowls, each with different colors and with different patterns. She wobbles to the table and places the bowls around.

A blue bowl with a rainbow thunderbolt symbol... A yellow bowl with a pink butterfly symbol... An orange bowl with a red apple symbol... A pink bowl with blue and yellow balloons symbol... And a white bowl with blue diamond-shaped gem symbol...

I blink at the 'dining table.' "Uh... You forgot the spoon?"

"Oh!" Seri quickly wobbles back to the kitchen, and quickly returns with a spoon on her beak.

"I forgot to wash you favorite purple bowl, Twilight," Seri smiles sheepishly at the unicorn as she places the spoon on the table by the white bowl. "And I uh, forgot to wash the green bowl, too... I hope you don't mind using one of these."

"It's..." Twilight quietly says as she wipes her eyes with a hoof. "Ahem... It's...quite all right, Seri." She smiles a fragile smile. "T-thank you..."

Seri smiles wide. "Oh, don't mention it, Twilight!" She turns to face the table, her eyes sparkling as she stares at the steaming hot soup thing inside the pot. She shakes her head out of trance and turns to smile at me. "Maybe you ponies can continue talking while we eat?" She turns her smile to Twilight. "You still have lots of time to be _normal_ , right?"

I...arch an eyebrow. What?

"Can we just forget about talking and just do some eating?" Reykan asks, preparing to jump on the table.

"Nah ah ah ah!" Seri leans her long neck towards him, bites his tail and yanks him back just as Rey kicks his hind legs on the wooden floor.

"What the—oof! H-hey!" He turns his head over his shoulder and glares at the white swan.

"No walking or standing or lying or sleeping on the table!" Seri says after releasing Rey's tail. "Twilight's rules. Not mine."

Reykan quickly stands up on his four paws, turns around and growls at Seri.

"No!" the swan cries. "Bad panther! Bad! Behave yourself!"

I'm waiting for Reykan to angrily ask what a table is...

Seri eyes me and whispers: " _Little help?_ "

I roll my eyes. "Rey, calm down."

"But Jay!" he whines as he turns to me. "I'm so, _so_ hungry! And I don't think I can keep my promise not to eat this giant bird if I won't eat something soon!"

I blink at him. Since when did Reykan promised me to—

"All right," Twilight suddenly says, who isn't a crying wreck anymore. "Settle down, every...body. Choose a bowl."

"What's a bowl?" I almost forgot that Sienna is with us. She takes a few steps toward the table, eyeing the steaming pot.

Seri turns and smiles at her. "It's one of those smaller pot-looking things."

"...What's a pot?" Reykan asks.

Twilight and I groan.


	19. 1 - 19

Twilight, Seri, Sienna, Reykan and I are now seated around the circular 'dining table' in the library's main room. Reykan is too small so we placed and stacked four books on the floor for him to sit on.

"Just don't scratch the books, please," Twilight tells him.

"But Twilight," Seri smiles at her. "You told me that those aren't real books and you can easily just recreate—"

"Yes, yes," Twilight cuts her off. She sighs, her ears drooping. "You don't need to remind me. Old habits die hard, after all..."

I blink at her. The books aren't...real? Well, I suppose that would have been obvious, considering how... _ancient_ this world is... I look around. "So... Is this just an illusion spell?"

"An advanced illusion spell!" Seri chirps happily as Twilight uses her magic to distribute the veggie soup in each bowl. The swan eagerly eyes a floating soup heading towards her bowl. "Twilight told me that this is what her home used to look like, and she wanted this old tree to look like it! And what better way to make it look like her old home than using an illusion spell! And I'm going to eat now!" She literally _dunks_ her head in her steaming orange bowl, making me wince.

"This is really good!" Reykan says as he slightly pulls his head away from his blue bowl enough so he can properly look and smile at me. "Weird, but good!"

Twilight chuckles as she levitates a spoon to scoop up some soup from her white bowl. "Maybe I can teach Seri how to cook meat for you."

Reykan's eyes grow very, _very_ wide. "You...can make meat taste even more delicious?!"

"That's what cooking does to food," I say as I eye my yellow steaming bowl. "If done properly, I mean."

"Why aren't you eating yet?" Sienna suddenly asks after pulling her head from her pink bowl.

I shrug. "Still a bit hot for my liking. I don't wanna burn my tongue and all that jazz."

The three of them blink at me. Plus one, now that Seri pulls her head out of her soup.

I blink back. "...What?"

"It's not _scalding_ hot," Seri chuckles. "Or else I wouldn't put my entire head in my bowl!" She grabs her bowl with both wings and lifts it a bit, eyeing Twilight. "Seconds please."

Twilight rolls her eyes and uses her magic to give her more soup. Leaving the happy swan on her own, she shifts her focus to me as I test the hotness of my soup with my tongue. "So... Jay, was it?"

Nope. Not scalding hot at all. Maybe it's slightly affected by the illusion spell? Wait... I furrow my brows as I turn to her. "...What does this soup _reeeaaally_ look like, Twilight?"

She blinks at me, blinks again, and then she rolls her eyes with a frown. "And I thought _I_ was the paranoid one."

"Can I have more?" Reykan asks with a potato goop on his nose.

"As long as you'll let me call you cute!" Seri teases him, earning herself a frown from the panther cub.

"Stop teasing him, Seri," Twilight says as she refills Rey's bowl. "And stop... _dunking_ your head in the soup! You're going to spend a lot of time in the bathroom again trying to get rid of all that soup under your feathers!"

I stop eating/drinking my soup... She as an _illusionary_ bathroom here, too?

"It's a good thing that there's a storm outside, right?" Seri smiles a beaked smile. "I can just let the rain do the work!"

Twilight rolls her eyes, shakes her head before she turns to me with a...poker face. "So, Jay... How come you..." She raises a hoof and makes circle motions in the air. "... _know_ stuff that uh... How do I say this right?"

I gulp down what I'm eating/drinking and sit straight up. I take a breath and sigh. "Twilight. I'm going straight to the point. No reason to zigzag around or whatever." I take another breath to collect my thoughts. "I'm...not from here. And I'm hoping against all hope that you could help me get back home."

She blinks and frowns as her ears droop. That's...not a good sign...

"May I have more?" we hear Sienna say.

Twilight refills Sienna's bowl with her magic without even ripping her sad stare at me. "I'm not from _this world_ either..."

I blink. Oh... I should have worded what I said better...

"I...am also looking for a way to get home, Jay... Because... Well..." Twilight closes her eyes, takes a breath, and sighs as she slightly hangs her head down. "I'm sorry. I know that...wherever in Equestria you were from, you must have heard that I'm really great with magic after I became a princess." She looks up at me. "And then, after... _everything_ changed, you looked for me for help, right?"

I...nod my head. Aaand Twilight cannot help me after all, judging from how sad and disappointed her tone is. If Equestria really did change, and she can't find a way to fix it, then how can she ever help _me_ with my case? My ears droop as I sigh. "Yeah... I feared you wouldn't be able to help..."

Sounds of eating and slurping...

I sigh once again as I grab the sides of my bowl with two hooves.

"Thirds?"

Twilight refills Seri's bowl without tearing her gaze away from me. "I'm...sorry to ask, but...I'm genuinely curious..."

I eye her as I raise the bowl and take a slurp.

"How come you're...not affected? I mean..." She rubs her head with a hoof. "You still...talk and act like the ponies back in Equestria. The _real_ one, I mean..."

Er... I...have no idea what to tell her. I mean, I can tell her that I'm...from another world, or dimension, but she might just think that I am just from another Equestria. I think she already assumes that I _am_ a pony living in the _real_ Equestria. How in blazes can I explain it to her that I'm _literally_ from another world, that is not Equestria?

"I take it that you don't know?"

I must have been silent for too long. I didn't even realize. "I, uh, y-yeah," I say with a frown to mask the lie.

She sighs, slightly hanging her head as she eyes her soup. "I figured as much. No offence, but earth ponies don't really have much knowledge in the field of magic unlike unicorns do."

I'm not really a pony, so I can't really take offence to that. "It's all right." I pause. Hm... "Twilight?"

She eyes me. "Hm?"

"Can I ask you to answer your own question?"

She raises her head and blinks at me. "...How I'm not affected, too?"

I nod my head.

She takes a breath and exhales through her nostrils. "...Well... Before everything became like the way they are right now, I was sitting on my chair around the 'cutie mark map' when I saw a fast bright light approaching."

Chair? Not throne?

She looks back at her soup, brows furrowing. "I don't really know what it was, but the moment I saw it, I felt great amounts of magic that I've never...felt before." She looks up at me again. "A bright white light swallowed everything in a blink, but I managed to cast a protection spell on me. But..." She looks back down on her soup. "...that light disappeared as soon as it appeared, and after it was gone, I found myself inside a forest." She sighs. "I...think you can formulate a scenario of what I did next."

I slowly nod my head. Right... So...a flash of white light, and Equestria changed. That's got to be a work of magic right there. And Twilight said that the magic felt more powerful that she ever felt...or knew...whatever. So...more powerful than alicorns, Discord or even Tirek, maybe? Okay, I can't really wrap my mind around this whole magic thing... I take another breath and sigh. "...You'll figure something out, Twilight."

"Huh?" She raises her head to look at me.

I nod with a small smile. Time to say some inspirational bullshit. That's how things work in the cartoon world, after all... "You always do. And I know for a fact that, when you put your mind and _heart_ to it, you'll be able to figure something out and fix whatever magical mojo happened to Equestria." And to me, but that comes later. She's too stressed that she just lost her reality. I lost mine as well, but I don't want to burden her with it for now. Maybe later. I mean, Equestria's sudden change _must_ be connected to how I got here, right? That's usually how this whole thing works...I think...

She sighs, her head drooping slightly. "I've tried, Jay. Really, I have. I've read every book in Celestia's library, Canterlot's library and the books in my library." She slightly shakes her head. "But I don't remember reading something that could change Equestria like this... I even thought that, since this is an altered dimension of some sort, then that meant I haven't went back in time yet." She raises her head as I arch an eyebrow. "I figured that, since I haven't cast the time travelling spell in _this world_ , then I should be able cast it _again_ and it worked!"

I nod my head, remembering that she did went back in time...in the show. "So...you went back to last week." I blinked. "But... I thought you can only stay in the past for only a couple of seconds?"

Twilight uses her magic to refill Rey's bowl before she answers, "Wow... For an earth pony, you sure know a lot!"

I shrug and continue eating as she continues.

"Anyway, I improved that spell when I got nothing to do in the library and in the castle. I created my own version, where I can actually _stay_ in that time forever if I wanted to."

I nod my head. "But wouldn't that put you in a loop?"

She shakes her head. "I unfortunately couldn't figure out how to make the caster cast the time spell again, so no."

I shake my head. "But... That..."

"Don't think too much about it, Jay," Twilight says with a smile. "As Spike once told us after I told my friends that I created my own version of the spell, 'don't think too much about it or your heads will explode.'" She sighs, her smile growing smaller and smaller as she refills Seri's and Sienna's bowls with her magic.

About Spike... Uh, no. Don't get Twilight sidetracked for now... Or more sad. Sadder. Whatever... Hm... "Uh...random question."

She blinks and nods.

I look around. She mentioned the castle and the cutie mark map thingie... So this Twilight already got the friendship castle. I look back to her. "This entire library's an illusion, right? Even the smell?"

She nods her head.

I nod mine as well. "So... Just curious. Why the library? Why not your castle?"

"Oh. That? Well," she smiles a small and shy smile, "I lived in the library longer that it became my home." She takes a breath and sighs. "I... I needed something familiar and _homely_ for me to remind myself of...home..."

"Oh..." To stay sane, I guess?

More sounds of eating and slurping.

"S-sorry for uh, making you feel sad... Sadder than sad... Um..."

She shakes her head. "It's fine, Jay. Don't worry about it."

Well, if she says so. Hm... So if she went back in time... "Is it safe to assume that there are...two Twilights in this world?"

She shakes her head. "No. When I went back a week in time, uh, I _merged_ with the _other_ Twilight." She bit her lip. "...And it ripped my wings off..."

I almost choke on my soup.

"I-it wasn't painful or anything!" Twilight quickly adds as she refill's Reykan's bowl in a haste, accidentally making the soup splash in his bowl, splashing on his face. He didn't seem to mind. "I'm sorry if I scared you, Jay. But don't worry. I figured that me having wings and the old me _not_ having wings wouldn't match, so my wings were removed..."

"Twilight with wings..." Seri stares at Miss Purple. "Hm..." She blinks and then shakes her head. "Nope! I can't imagine Twilight having wings."

I take a few breaths to calm my vocal chords. "I...see Rainbow Dash's preferred choice of words is showing on you."

Twilight rolls her eyes. "Anyway, I was half expecting that I'd end up in the castle, in the correct world, time, dimension, whatever, and work on a way to prevent... _this_ from ever happening, but unfortunately, that wasn't the case." She sighs. "No... I ended up standing before a herd of frightened goats in a field of fire. I...was harming them, Jay." She slowly raises her two hooves, staring at them.

"Do they fart rainbows?"

I bring a hoof behind Rey's head and push his face back inside his bowl.

"They...called me names. And I believed them. I mean, why shouldn't I?" Twilight brings her hooves back down as she slowly shakes her head. "I have the _other_ Twilight's memories of _this_ timeline after I merged with _her_... And I...harmed a _lot_ of beings. Got myself hurt. Was exiled from my own kind. Almost got eaten by a hydra." She sighs. "I sometimes wished that this world's Twilight was eaten by that hydra so I wouldn't have merged with her and be worrying about my... _episodes_..."

I swallow some soup and nod. "Um... Seconds, please?"

"And me," Seri chirps.

Twilight refills our bowls.

"Thanks," I say quietly. "But, eh, well... Look on the bright side!"

She gives me a curious look.

I smile an awkward smile, doubting. "You...uh... If the other you died, then you'd be a zombie right now, right?"

She blinks. "Not really. If the 'me' in this world was dead a long time ago, then I wouldn't merge with her."

I sigh. "Eh... That was a poor attempt of a joke in trying to cheer you up..." Hm... Wait... Something doesn't add up...

"Maybe because Twilight pony doesn't know what zombie means?" Reykan offers. "I don't even know _what_ the two of you are talking about!"

"Me neither," Sienna shakes her head.

Seri shrugs. "You two will get used to it."

"Well," Reykan eyes his empty bowl. "I can definitely get used to this kind of food! More please?"

Twilight refills his bowl.

Sienna curiously stares at Reykan. "Does that mean you're not going to hunt and kill us and other creatures anymore?"

He blinks and looks at her. "... ... ...Nope!"

Sienna's ears droop.

Seri chuckles heartily before she leans her long neck towards the metallic pot on the middle of the table, blinking inside. "Huh..." She pulls her head back and looks at Twilight. "Twilight, you need to eat a lot more than that." She blinks again. "It's almost time, and you don't want to feel so weak and helpless after your episodes, now do you?"

The unicorn sighs and nods her head in agreement. "You're right. I'm sorry, Seri."

The swan smiles. "No need to apologize, Twilight. Now, stop using that puny little spoon and just eat from the bowl! Like us! You can eat a lot of food that way!"

Twilight gives her a small smile. "I appreciate your concern, but I'll be fine," she says before she scoops a spoonful of soup and starts eating.

Alright, so... Uh... Um... Derp... I don't know. There are so many things to ask that I don't know where to begin. Let's see... Ah, phooey.

"Twilight?" I call.

"Hm?"

"If... If you don't mind, may I ask a couple of questions?"

She nods her head.

Right. "You said that after you went back in time, you, uh, 'merged' with the other Twilight, yes?"

She nods her head again. "I think I know what you're going to ask, Jay. I have a simple theory." She takes a breath and sighs. "The _other me_ was already dead after you and I got in _this_ world. Or after Equestria changed in a blink." She shifts her gaze to her soup and furrows her brows. "She was already dead when we got here, but she was still alive one week ago. I...don't really know what caused her death though..." She slowly shakes her head. "That was why I still had my wings when I first got here." She takes another breath and sighs before looking back to me with a sad frown. "Does that answer your question?"

"Jay?" I hear Reykan call, catching my attention. "So... Twilight is both dead _and_ alive, right?"

"Huh?" Twilight huhs.

I smile a small smile at Rey "Eh. No, Rey. Not really." Hm... If Twilight doesn't know how to fix this...phenomenon, then I might as well—"Do you know where Celestia and Luna are?"—ask as I turn to face her.

She blinks, looking completely stunned after hearing the question.

"I mean... If you can't figure whatever happened to Equestria... Maybe they can?" I mean, sure. That magical light may be more powerful than them, but Celestia must know something about it or how to fix this, right?

"They..." She frowns a sad frown. "They don't exist in _this_ world, Jay..."

I blink... Wat...? Then who moves the sun and moon? The unicorns?

She sighs. "Not even Cadence..." She slowly shakes her head. "And according to the memories of _this world's_ version of me, Shining Armor's...dead...and my parents, too..." She shudders. "A-and Spike... I never met Spike in this world. Never met my friends. No... Never _befriended_ any of my friends. Rainbow Dash delivers the unicorns storm clouds, but that was it. And Rarity?" She shakes her head. "The other unicorns ignored me, but she tried and tried to talk to me, to help me, but I was...just too out of control, Jay. _This world's me_ , I mean." She sighs. "I don't know where Fluttershy, Applejack and Pinkie Pie are..."

Right. Celestia and Luna aren't around. Cadence, too. And I have no freaking idea how to console someone. I slowly shake my head. I guess I can try some old and common lines for these situations... "I'm...sorry to hear that, Twilight."

She shakes her head. "Don't worry about it." She goes back to eating, albeit in a slower pace.

"Well, if anything, I happened to meet Applejack, her brother and Pinkie before I found you."

She looks at me, looking eager to know.

I smile a small smile. "The three of them are doing okay. They're in a pas—"

"Don't tell me where they are," Twilight suddenly interjects. "Just...tell me. Are they doing okay?"

"Uh...ye-yes? Pinkie was very cheerful and welcoming, Applejack was very friendly and generous, albeit mean and bossy towards the pegasi, and Big Mac? Eh," I shrug, "same old, same old."

Twilight chuckles and lets out a happy, contented sigh. "That's...nice to hear."

"Oh! And uh, I also met Rainbow Dash. Albeit briefly..."

She nods her head. "Yeah. From this world's Twilight's memory, Rainbow's a jerk but with a surprisingly flexible patience."

"Yeah..." I nod. "Um... May I ask why you don't want to know where Pinkie and AJ are?"

She frowns and slowly shakes her head. "Just...a precaution, Jay."

I arch an eyebrow. "A precaution?"

"Yep!" Seri suddenly chirps. "In case that she's in her episodes and if her 'episode safety precautions' won't get her."

Twilight sighs as she turns to Seri. "It's almost time, isn't it?"

"Yep!"

I slightly shake my head. "I...don't follow."

Twilight sighs once more. "I'd rather you don't..." Twilight then looks up at the ceiling as red light and a strange, quiet hum suddenly fills the entire room, confusing me, Reykan and Sienna. "But it's...something that I can't prevent from happening to me." She then slowly looks back to me with a sad frown. "So...whatever happens... I'm so sorry in advance."

"We need to hide in the kitchen," Seri suddenly says, standing up on her webbed feet. She looks at Twilight, and the two of them nods their heads. Seri then turns to us with a nervous smile. "Come on, everyone. Follow me!" She wobbles towards the kitchen.

"But I'm not done eating yet!" Reykan pouts as he and the rest of us eye the retreating swan. "And why is everything colored like blood all so suddenly?"

Seri shrieks a fake-sounding shriek from inside the kitchen. "Oh! I forgot that there's more soup in here!"

Reykan immediately runs after her into the kitchen, scattering the books on the floor.

"Jay, Sienna," Twilight calls, sounding like she's trying to calm down and not to panic. "P-please follow Seri in the kitchen." She stands up and backs away from us.

"I don't understand what's going on," Sienna says, already up on her four dainty feet and frowning at the two of us... "B-but I have the sudden urge to...run away?"

I don't know what's going on either, but the sad and scared look on Twilight's face is making me feel scared as well.

Despite the fear on her face, Twilight tries to flash me a small smile as she gestures with her hoof for me to go to the kitchen.

I seriously don't know what's going on, but maybe this is something very urgent?

"Jay, Sienna, please..." Twilight pleads, tearing up. "I... T-there's not much time left. You have to go."

My ears twitch as I hear Sienna retreat into the kitchen. I turn and see her and Seri's heads poking out from the entryway, eyeing us nervously. I gulp, turn to Twilight and nod my head. I stand—wait, no. I'm already on my four hooves. I turn and walk towards the kitchen. Standing on the entryway, I look over my shoulder and see Twilight gesturing for me to go inside. I nod and—

A red-glowing gemstone falls on the table from above, making Twilight gasp. It glows a harsh red light and immediately _flies_ toward Twilight's yelping form.

"Twilight—!"

More and more red-glowing gems fall from above, and then fly towards the unicorn, covering her entire body, and she's not even fighting it!

I run towards her, ignoring Seri's call. "What's going—?!"

A powerful purple beam erupts from the cluster of red-glowing gems, making me skid to a stop. The newly-formed gap shows Twilight's face, the red glow illuminating her manic expression: angry bloodshot eyes, dot-like pupils, and an angry smile. Horn glowing, she fires thin purple beams at the many gems flying towards her.

She cranes her neck and fires a beam of magical energy, throwing another set of approaching gems away from her. Her large, angry eyes then blinks as she stares at me. "Why... Hello there, handsome," she says in a voice that feels like a cold-scaled snake crawling on my skin, making me shiver. And she then fires a beam straight at me!

"Gah!" I cry in fright as I throw my two hooves forward to shield myself. "Augh—!" I howl in pain as my hind leg suddenly feels so freaking painful. I collapse on the wooden floor, the severe pain making my vision go blurry and muffling any sound that I hear. Tears start to collect around the edges of my eyes as I continue to howl at the burning and painful sensation on my leg!

Despite my agony, I feel my entire body tingling with a strange sensation as I no longer feel the hard wooden floor against my side. I feel the rush of air and gone, and suddenly feel a muzzle against my own. Through my blurry vision, I can see Twilight's manic eyes staring into my soul.

"Do you have a family, handsome?" I hear Twilight's quiet and cold voice as I hiss in pain and panic. "You're about to lose them all... And I'll let you watch them die right in front of you..." More and more red-glowing gems slowly cover her face. "...Just like how _they_ made me watch mine die in front of my eyes..."

A gem blocks her eyes, and I suddenly feel myself dropping on the floor, shivering.


	20. 1 - 20

My consciousness and senses sluggishly return to me. I feel the hard wood floor I'm lying on as my ears pick up the muffled sounds of howling winds, splattering rainwater, Reykan's snores and purrs, and the occasional roar of thunder outside the tree house.

...Tree house... ...Oh, right... We're inside the Golden Oak Library, Twilight attacked me, and I must have been unable to handle the pain, resulting to me losing consciousness... I wince as pain shot to my brain. Ow... My leg still hurts like hell...

I slowly open my eyes, blinking a few times to clear my foggy vision. I'm...in the kitchen, I guess? I can see red light entering through the wide open entryway.

With a groan, I pull my two front hooves up, lifting my...upper half or front half? Whatever. I lift myself up into a sitting position, careful not to ouch my ouchie hind leg. Sitting up, I look down on my wound which is a few inches below my knee, wrapped sloppily with white bandages, tainted with a red _mark_.

I sigh as I look around the kitchen. Minus the red light from the main room, the kitchen is devoid of light, making the room look gloomy. There are cupboards, a sink— _is that a refrigerator?_ —and other kitcheny stuff in here, as well as a small table and two chairs around it. No windows though. I don't remember seeing a window back in the main room. Eh...

On the floor, the three other creatures lay asleep. Sienna is sleeping under the table, Seri is sleeping near the sink with two rolls of bandages near her, and Reykan is sleeping inside a large and empty metallic pot on its side, his snores and purrs amplified slightly.

I wonder how long was I out? And if my wound is wrapped with bandages— _where'd they get these bandages in the first place?_ —I guess Sienna couldn't heal it... I wince and shudder as I remember how freaking painful it was when Twilight's beam struck me.

I hear sniffling... I hear sobbing... The quiet sounds are coming from the library's main room.

...Twilight's the only one in that room. And judging from the red light entering the entryway, she's still... _surrounded_ by the gems?

...

... ...

... ... ...Should I? Uh, no... Maybe I shouldn't. Maybe I'll just...stay here and wait for Twilight to— _I don't know_ —get better? I still don't understand what Seri meant by Twilight having episodes. Maybe that was it? Twilight going nuts? That would explain why the Equestrians I've met have told me that Miss Purple's a crazy mare. And my ouchie leg's a perfect example of that.

I turn my head and stare at Seri's sleeping form. I remember her saying something about Twilight having some more time to be _normal_. Does that mean that she and Twilight know when the unicorn's gonna go crazy? Does that also mean that Seri knows when Twilight returns to normal? Gah! Too many questions... Maybe I should ask Seri? But...I kinda don't wanna disturb her sleep. Sleep is, like, one of the greatest things in the world... _any_ world. My gaze shifts to Reykan's sleeping form, making me frown. ...Yeah. I sure as heck won't appreciate getting disturbed from my beauty sleep.

I bite my bottom lip as my twitching ears hear Twilight choking on a sob.

...

... ...

... ... ...Fuck it... I find it very difficult to ignore someone crying.

I slowly pull myself on my three good hooves, careful not to put any weight on my wounded hind hoof. " _This is a stupid idea_ ," I mutter under my breath as I limp my way towards the entryway. Reaching my destination, I gulp and take a breath to collect myself before I slowly poke my head out of the safety of the walls.

The main room is gloomy as well, illuminated by the soft red glow of the red glowing gemstones forming a two-ponies tall sphere-like cage in the very middle of the room. And eeyup, no windows. Anyway, inside the gem sphere, I can see a faint and dark figure trapped within, her quiet sniffles and sobs mixing with the muffled storm noises outside.

I quietly shuffle towards the sphere, trying to push my nervousness away.

"G-go away..." I hear Twilight's quiet voice from inside the gem sphere.

I stop a few hooves away from the sphere, squinting my eyes a little bit so I can stare at Twilight's dark figure inside. "Twilight?" I whisper her name.

"Go away..." Twilight sobs. "W-what more do you want from me?" Sobbing. "They're gone... I-I'm all alone now..."

Right... Twilight's parents and her brother aren't alive in this world... It doesn't make sense though... If the Twilight in this world's already dead before the real Twilight came here, shouldn't she be dead, too? Then why is she—? Was it because of that spell that she mentioned she performed on herself before that...light got her? Possibly... Maybe...

I slowly and carefully sit down on my rump, blinking at the glowing red gem sphere before me. This must be Twilight's ' _safety precaution thingie_ ' that she told us about. The precaution that would stop her from harming others when she's in her episodes? And maybe those gems are also the stolen gems from the unicorns in 'Canterlot'?

I blink. ...What am I doing here again? To console Twilight? I...have no idea how to do that... I suck at consoling people... I look away, my gaze landing on one of the books on the floor that we stacked on top of each other so Reykan can reach the table... I bring a hoof over a book, pin it down and drag it towards me. I ope—I ope—nope, I can't open the book. It's probably just a random item shaped like a book and the illusion spell makes it _look_ like a book. Hm...

I feel my ears twitch as I hear Twilight choke on another sob. I close my eyes and sigh... Damn... I feel like I need to say something, but I don't know what to say. I'm hopeless...

"M-momma..."

I look up at the gem sphere.

"...Poppa..." Twilight mumbles. "...Brother..."

Muffled wind gusts and rain showers.

"I miss you... I miss you... I-I miss you..."

I quietly listen to her.

She continues to sob. "...I...I-I couldn't...do anything... I...watched you...and I didn't...do...anything..."

"...When did it happen?" I suddenly ask. I blink, surprised. I don't have _any_ idea why those words suddenly left my mouth.

I hear Twilight sniffs. "A-a long time ago... W-when I was still small..."

She answered. Hm... So this world's Twilight's family died when she was still a filly... Hm... Should I? Eh... "...Who did it?"

"T-them..."

I blink at that. Should I ask again?

"One of them...tried to kill me, too..." She sniffs. "T-they ate them...but they wanted more... One of them saw me..." She chokes on a sob. "B-but then... Rocks..."

Rocks?

"O-other unicorns came and threw rocks at them..."

Ah... Predators then. ...Like Reykan.

"I...miss them..." She sniffs. "I...really miss them..." A pause. "I was all alone... They were...gone... No momma... No poppa... No brother..." Another pause... "They threw rocks at them. They didn't help us. They only wanted to scare them off..." She sniffs. "Nopony helped me... T-they didn't understand..." A pause... "...I-it made me angry. I got angry..." she says in an angry tone. "...I got angry and wanted to kill them..." A cold pause. "...So they would know what it's like..."

I notice a purple light glowing from inside the sphere, the gems shining brightly in reaction, almost drowning the purple light completely.

"I wanted them to know what it felt like..." she whispers angrily. "But they're all cowards. They didn't want to know...! It made me angrier...!" she says a little louder now.

I'm not sure that talking to her is a good idea anymore... I just made her angry again, and maybe it'll delay her 'return to normality' or something...

"Do you have a family, Jay?" she suddenly asks, making me blink. "I'll help you understand how I felt, so you'll know."

I glare at her dark silhouette inside the gem sphere. "...Good luck with that," I reply with a cold tone. I can take hits directed at me, but I won't let anyone hurt my family. I blink... Wait... "How...did you know my name?"

No reply...

I furrow my brow. "...Twilight? Is...is that you?"

She didn't answer.

I'm glaring at her silhouette. "...You...can _see_ her memories, too, can't you?"

No response. Suddenly: "They're alive..."

I arch an eyebrow.

"...They're alive... I...I _remember_ every...every... _birthday celebrations_ we had..." A pause. "Celestia's School For Gifted Unicorns..." Another pause. "...Spike... My five fr-friends in _Po...ny...ville..._ "

I'm not sure what's going on with her right now...

"Lies..." she says. "Those...didn't happen... N-not real..."

I think I hear her teeth grinding against each other.

"Grr...! Lies! Y-you did something to me!" she growls. "Th-these gems! M-maybe you're using them to—"

"They're alive, Twilight," I cut her off.

I hear her choke on her words.

I take a breath and sigh. "Twilight, deny it all you want, but you can't push back _her_ memories. _She_ can see _your_ memories, so it can only mean that _you_ can also see _hers_ as well."

"I... I..."

"Her memories are real, Twilight. Yours? Eh... Uh... P-probably real, too..." Right... I'm going to another train of thought now... "...She _knows_ what you feel about losing your family in _this world_ , Twilight." I pause. "And that is why _she_ wants to figure out how to fix it... To return to _your_ family." I take a breath and let out a calm breath. "...Don't you want that?"

"...A-Applejack..."

I blink.

"...Pinkie...Pie... R-Rainbow Dash... Fluttershy... Rarity... S-Spike..."

A pause.

"...I...have friends..."

I nod. "And a family."

Another pause. I hear her snort, making my ears droop. "...Her friends are more important to her than her family...I think..."

I blink.

The red gems suddenly start glowing in a bright purple light. I quickly close my eyes and stand up to back away, but a powerful shot of pain runs through my head from my wounded hoof, and the next thing I know, I'm lying on my side on the wooden floor, hissing from the pain.

I hear the gems falling on the floor. A lot of them. A few of them even slides on the floor and painlessly bumps on my fallen self.

...Ah, fuck... I just told her that she can access the _real_ Twilight's memories... M-maybe she learned how to stop the gems from _stopping_ her? I'm screwed...

"Get up," Twilight's loud voice suddenly reaches my ears.

I slowly open my eyes and see her standing on the floor littered with faintly-glowing gems.

"Wha? Already?" I hear Seri's voice from the kitchen. "It's still too early for Twilight to be normal." A pause. "Oh! Hello there, Twilight! I must have miscounted while I was asleep."

She can count _while_ sleeping?

"I said," Twilight angrily says as she violently uses her magic to force me to stand up. "Get up!"

I hiss and wince in pain as my four hooves slam on the wooden floor.

"But I'm already up!" I hear Seri say from behind me.

Twilight shifts her glare from me to her. "Not you, you dumb duck!"

A pause.

Twilight then shifts her glare back to me. "Tell me what to do."

I am still making a face from how painful my injured hoof is, even though I'm not putting any weight on it anymore. "T-to do what?"

"Wait..." Seri says as she stops beside me, blinking at Twilight. "...You're...still in your episodes."

Twilight chooses to ignore her. "Well? Tell me what I need to do already!"

"First off," I hiss, "calm down!"

She stomps her hoof on the floor, making Seri jump. "You expect me to _calm down_?!" she asks, her eyes blazing in fury as it burns through me. "Something toyed with Equestria, and it _killed my family_! I'm going to change it back and be with my family again!" She stomps her way towards me, pressing her snout against mine, pushing my head back as a whimper escapes my quivering lips. "Now either you tell me what to do or get lost!"

"Lovers quarrel again?" I hear Sienna say from behind me. She lets out a long yawn before she continues: "You're really hopeless, Jay."

"And you," Twilight immediately removes her muzzle from mine to glare at the deer. "If you're so sex deprived, then go and get yourself a buck that can buck you like a whore that you are!"

"I—ah—uh..."

Twilight snorts and takes a few steps back to give me some space, which I'm thankful for, but I wish she turns her glaring eyes down a notch... "Stop stalling," she tells me.

I shakily shake my head. "I-I'm not." I take a breath and sigh. "...Twilight and I already talked about it."

She angrily blinks at me. Seconds pass. She snorts. "Useless," she hisses as she throws her glaring stare aside.

Sienna walks and stands beside Seri, exchanging confused looks with the swan.

"Elements of Harmony... Cutie Marks..." Twilight mumbles and mumbles some more. "—ube Corner... Celestia... Tree of Harmony... Discord... Tirek... Starswirl the Bearded... Windigoes... Clover the—wait." She blinks and turns to me, her glare not-so-glaring anymore. "You're from the _real_ Equestria, too."

"Erm..."

"Why are you guys so noisy...?" I hear Reykan's sleepy voice as he sleepily drags his sleepy paws on the floor.

"Predator..." Twilight growls a quiet growl as she glares at Reykan's approaching form. She closes her eyes, slightly shakes her head, and reopens her glaring eyes to me. "Tell me how the three pony races united."

I blink at her. "Uh..." I gulp. "T-the magic of friendship?"

"How did that _silly_ magic came to be?"

"May I sit down?" I say with a wince. I let out a startled yelp when Twilight uses her magic to slam my bum on the floor. "Ow!"

"Answer the question!"

"Why is Twilight pony suddenly so—"

"Be **quiet**!" she snarls at Reykan's wincing form. She then turns to the other wincing females. "You two as well! I don't want _any_ interruptions! Now..." she then glares back at me.

"Um... W-when the unicorns, pegasi and earth ponies became...friends?"

"And _why_ did they became friends?"

Thank god I'm a brony and not some uncultured guy hurled in Equestria, else Twilight have already killed me by now. "B-because of the Windigoes?"

She slowly nods her angry head. "But what would happen if the Windigo incident _didn't_ happen?"

I blink. I blink again.

"Stupid earth pony," she says with an angry roll of her eyes as she paces around, glaring on the gem-littered floor. "You and Twilight are from the time when the Windigo incident happened. I and the other creatures in _this_ Equestria are in this timeline where the Windigo incident _didn't happen._ A different timeline where pony races and other creatures didn't unite!"

Oookay...

"I... _She_ studied about the possibility of having multiple existing worlds with different events that branched from the many 'what-if' scenarios. Of course, there is no way to prove that _any_ of these _other_ worlds exist...until now. Until that 'mysterious white light' changed everything. But!" She kicks a random gem, making her four little audience wince. "That doesn't prove that the multiverse is real! No. There's only one real world. One real Equestria. One real timeline. And that light changed everything." She stops and glares at the four of us. "Some _one_ tampered with the past, and changed the future."

Oookay... That's...possible. But how am I connected to all of this? Does changing the past also pulls a random human from a different universe and turns them into a pony?

Twilight starts pacing again. "Twilight has proven that little theory of mine. You two are apparently the only ponies who still have your real memories even after Equestria changed. She changed the past by going back in time, and it indeed affected the future. How?" She stops and glares at me. "You, Jay, wouldn't be talking to a _wingless_ Twilight right now if she didn't change the past by _saving_ me from dying." She paces around again. "The time-traveling spell only allows the caster to go back a week from time, and only the most powerful of unicorns, and alicorns, are able to perform such an advance spell. There's no spell in pony history that can travel back in time _so far_. And even if there was, the future wouldn't be affected. No, that spell— _in theory_ —would use a lot of mana to _create a different and independent timeline_ so the ponies and other living creature wouldn't be affected. That much mana could mean the death for the caster."

Sheesh... Angry Twilight ranting about magic and stuff hurts my head just by trying to catch up. "Twilight..." I call.

She glares at me. " **Don't** interrupt me."

I shake my head. "There's a problem with that little theory of yours."

She rolls her angry eyes. "And what would a _dirt pony_ know about magic?"

I ignore her offensive remark because, well, I'm not offended because I'm not really a pony. "What if there really _are_ different existing worlds and timelines and you...er...the two of _us_ are simply...flung into this alternate timeline?"

"Explain that bright white light that held powerful amounts of magic then."

My ears droop. "Uh... T-that might be the magic used to fling us to this timeline?"

She snorts. "You're not from Ponyville. So, are you telling me, that a big wall of light sweeps all across Equestria, and only flings two ponies to another dimension? Is that what your saying?"

"Well, fine. How about that other theory of yours?"

She arches an eyebrow.

"The uh, the one you said that if someone really powerful really did went far back in time and changed the events that happened in the past and as a result created a separate timeline, then...there! There's the other timeline! And then that white magic thing flung us here!" I blink. "Or...maybe a powerful artifact?" Hell, the show showed _some_ of those powerful magical artifacts.

Her eye twitches as she takes a breath, while still glaring at me. "Whoever changed the past and created another timeline would be dead, the spell using their mana and life energy to create a stable altered timeline. There is _no way_ for them to still have _enough magic_ to hop back in the real world and decide to throw two random ponies living in different locations of Equestria to the newly-created altered timeline!"

...Wow... T-that's a good point...

"...Unless there are _others_ working for the past-changer..." She tears her glare away. "...This is something even bigger than I thought..." She shakes her head. "And I'm not fit for the role of thinking bigger." She closes her eyes, takes a deep breath and sighs. "I hate to admit it, but my rage consumes me. I just..." She sighs a very heavy and very angry sigh. "...want my family back."

"You'll get them back," I quickly say with a nod. "You both will. We just have to think of...something...I guess." I mentally sigh. In before there's going to be a stupid quest or quests that I need to do before I can go back home. That's how _these types of fics_ work anyway... Sigh...

"...I have an idea..." Twilight suddenly says, looking back at me with a soft glare. She looks at the other creatures before her. "...You might need your friends' and your Twilight's help for this..."

I blink and turn my head to stare at Seri, Sienna and Reykan.

The trio blinks at me.

* * *

 **Author's Notes**

 _destinedjagold marked the story as Complete.  
destinedjagold quickly runs away._


	21. 2 - 01

Act 2

 _Jay is a human who suddenly found himself as an Earth Pony in an alternate Equestria. He searches and finds Miss Cliché Twilight Sparkle, who, unfortunately, is just as clueless as he is._

 _Fortunately, Twilight has a plan. The_ other _Twilight. Well, an_ idea _, which may or may not help Jay get back home or fixes Twilight's Equestria back to normal, but it's better than nothing, right?_

* * *

"Just to review..." Twilight says, her horn glowing with purple light. "You woke up outside a pasture where Pinkie Pie and Applejack live, asked them and some other ponies about me, Sienna escorted you through a forest, you two parted ways after you reached the edge of the forest, you went north to 'Canterlot Mountain,' got stoned, Reykan dragged and almost...killed you, asked said panther cub to lead you to me, saved Seri from Reykan, resumed following Reykan with my swan assistant, and then you met Sienna again right before you reached my tree." She blinks at me. "Did I get all that correctly?"

"Er..." I er as I stare at the wound on my hind leg, enveloped by Miss Purple's purple healing magic. "...yeah?" Wow. Leave it to Twilight to make a small, one paragraph summary of a three day long journey of mine that will probably take me twenty or so chapters if I get the chance to write it on some fanfiction website.

Anyway, Twilight and I are in the well-lit library's main room, healing the wound she gave me during her little episode a few hours ago. Muffled sounds of howling wind gusts and splattering rainwater echoes around the library's wooden walls. The air is cool and carries the stinky odor of old books. Shelves are standing by the walls, filled with books of different color and different thickness. There are also a few smaller tables and stools lying around for reading purposes. Unfortunately, the tables, the stools, the shelves, the books, and even the library look _and smell_ are all just an illusion.

Oh, and there's a pile of dormant gems of different colors sitting by the stairs.

Twilight was her 'normal self' when she woke up a few minutes ago, and she immediately wants to heal me. During the healing process, we decided to have a little talk just to pass the time.

She theorized that we are in an altered Equestria, where the Windigo incident in the past never happened. And the two of us are the only ponies, or creatures, to still have our original memories from the _real_ Equestria.

After that, she asked me how I managed to find her. And here we are now.

"And all of that happened in the span of three days, correct?" Twilight asks, her eyes locked on my slowly-healing wound.

"Y-yeah," I reply as I move my gaze on the longcase clock...thing standing in between two shelves. Other than the show and some old-themed movies, I've never really seen one in real life...real _or_ illusionary. Hm... Nineteen minutes past six in the morning... It's Thursday now... "That clock displays the correct time, right?" I ask as I stare at the clock's swinging pendulum.

"Hm?" She blinks. "Oh. You mean the pendulum clock?"

"Yeah," I nod my head. "Does it actually tell the actual time or no?"

"It does, actually," she replies with a proud smile. "It's still an illusion, but I added another spell on it that'll show the current time," she explains, her smile slowly fading. "We... Seri and I used that to know how long I can stay 'normal' and how long my episodes last..." She closes her eyes, takes a breath and sighs a sad sigh. "Before...after I fused with 'her,' my episodes last for a couple of minutes only, but now? It lasts for two hours, while I..." she glances at the clock in time for the minute hand to move. "...have ten more minutes to stay 'normal.'" She sighs again as she closes her eyes.

I blink at her. Real Twilight only has thirty minutes while Alternate Twilight has two hours? That's... "That's kinda unfair..." I mutter.

"Hm?" She reopens her eyes and looks at me. "What is?"

"Time," I say with a frown. "You only have half an hour while _she_ has two full hours."

She slightly shakes her head before giving me a small smile. "It's all right, Jay. Don't worry too much about it." She looks back at the clock. "From what I see in her _mind,_ I can tell that, well, after you gave her a goal of some sort, I'm willing to bet that she'll help us in figuring out how to fix Equestria." Her smile widens. "In fact, I don't think she'll be harming anyone any time soon, and I no longer need to cage myself inside the magic gems." She blinks, her smile gone in an instant. "...I hope."

"That's...good to hear?" I say.

I remember _clearly_ how the other Twilight explained to us her theory. And like a somewhat good story that abruptly ends for no apparent reason, the other Twilight was about to tell us her idea when she...suddenly dropped on the floor, fast asleep. With nothing else to do and nowhere else to go, we called it a night and went to sleep.

I slightly shake my head. "She mentioned a plan. Do you know what that plan is?"

She nods her head as the magical glow in her horn fades and disappears. "Yes. I know what her idea is. And honestly?"

She sounds like she's smiling. I'm staring at my healed hind leg, smiling that it doesn't hurt anymore.

"I think it's a good idea. And I'm really surprised that she came up with it, too!" Twilight proudly says.

I turn my head and stare at her.

She's staring at the ceiling. "I'm just somewhat surprised that I didn't think of it first..."

"Actually, she's still you."

She looks at me. "Technically, not really."

I roll my eyes. "Whatever you say, Twilight..." I look back at the clock and bite my lower lip. She has...eight more minutes left...

Twilight looks at the clock as well, frowning a sad frown.

I take a breath and exhale through my nostrils as I turn back to her. "...So... What's her plan?" I slightly shake my head as she looks at me. "No offence to her, but I'd rather hear the plan from you."

She shakes her head. "No, Jay. That would be rude. She came up with the idea, so it's only fair that she'll be the one who'll explain it to you and your friends."

Friends... Right. I made some friends here during my three day journey. Well, actually, I still think of them as acquaintances to be perfectly honest. Seri, a white swan, is in the kitchen, washing the dishes...er...bowls, and is also cooking some breakfast. Reykan, a black panther cub, is busy inside Miss Purple's _illusionary toilet_ on the second floor, emptying his upset stomach. Sienna, a brown deer, is still fast asleep on one of the steps on the stairs to the second floor of the library.

Twilight sighs, catching my attention. She's staring at the clock for a few moments before she looks back to me with a sad smile. "I hope you don't mind me asking, Jay, but where did you say you were from?"

I...ah...er... Canterlot? No, she's _from_ Canterlot. Uh... "M-Manehattan?"

She blinks at me. "Really? No offence, but you don't really...talk and act like one..."

...oops?

"Then again..." She chuckles. "I spent most of my time inside our hotel room when my friends I were there, making dresses for one of my friend's Fashion Week performance, so...I haven't really had the chance to mingle with the ponies in the city..."

"Ahh...hahahah..." I chuckle with her, albeit nervously. "I-I see..."

What Twilight didn't know is that I am...or _was_ a human, from a completely different world. Unfortunately, I can't...find a way to tell her that because...when I first met Miss Purple, she was having a hard time trying to understand what happened and was trying to figure out a solution on fixing Equestria while fearing for what her 'other self' might do during her episodes. She still is. So...I might as well keep that little secret of mine for now and just let her...fix Equestria. And then after that, I can ask for her to help me get back...home.

"Urrrgh..." Twilight and I hear a low groan from upstairs. Looking up, we see Reykan slowly working his way down on the stairs with a tired and painful look on his face. "W-why do I feel so...so hurt? Urgh..."

Twilight chuckles a nervous chuckle. "Eheheh... It's...my fault... S-sorry about that, Reykan. I...gave you too much soup last night, momentarily forgetting that you were a carnivore..."

"That," I say, "or it was Seri's fault for making him eat a lot more in the kitchen."

Twilight blinks and turns to me. "She did?"

"Ow—!"

"Whoa—!"

Reykan steps on Sienna's back, startling the latter and throwing the former down the steps. Purple magic surrounds the falling feline before he hits the last few steps. Twilight gently sets the suffering feline down on the floor.

Sienna, now standing, shakes the sleep off of her. Blinking her emerald eyes, she looks around, her brown ears twitching. She blankly stares at me from the stairs. "What was that just now?"

I roll my eyes as Reykan approaches me. "Good morning to you, too."

"Oh!" a cheerful voice echoes from the kitchen. A white swan's head pokes out from the kitchen's entryway, smiling at us. "Is everyone awake already?" Before anyone could answer, she lets out a surprised gasp. "Oddete's feathers, Reykan!" She wobble-rushes toward Reykan and grabs both the cub's cheeks with both her wings, forcing him to look at her. "You look _horrible_! _Uncute_! What happened?!" She blinks and glances at Twilight. "Oh, and you only have a minute left, Twilight."

Twilight frowns a sad frown.

"I...feel so woozy..." Reykan says, weakly blinking his sapphire eyes at the swan. "...Why do you have three heads? No... Two heads... It's three again..."

Ignoring Reykan for a moment, I turn and frown a concerned frown at Miss Purple's frowning face. "So... No red glowy gems of doom this time?"

Closing her eyes, Twilight shakes her head as she takes a deep breath. She exhales, eyes still closed. "I... _She_ already deactivated the spell on the gems."

"Should we hide inside the key chin again?" Sienna asks as she walks down the stairs.

But Twilight didn't have the time to reply anymore. On the corner of my eyes, I see the minute hand just moved, now pointing at the number six. I hold my breath and brace myself, since I'm sitting right in front of her.

Silence... Save for the muffled sounds of rainwater. No more howling winds though.

...I blink and slowly turn my head, my gaze locking on Sienna's slightly scared emerald eyes. I then turn to look at Seri's blank amber eyes. And then I stare at Reykan's weak sapphire eyes.

Gulping, I turn my head back and stare at Twilight. She's...still sitting there, breathing, eyes closed, an ear slightly twitching. Suddenly, she slowly opens her eyes, making me flinch. She stares and blinks blankly at me. She turns her head, staring at the longcase clock just in time to see the minute hand move once again. Blinking blankly once again, she stares at each and every one of us, before her gaze settles on me.

"...Huh..." Twilight says quietly. "...I guess _she_ doesn't want to...come out?"

* * *

 **Author's Notes**

 _Alright. So a lot of you pipz didn't like the fact that I ended the fic (at least, the pipz from FIMfiction). While I was honestly planning for a sequel, many of you pointed out that ending the fic_ like that _was not good. In all honesty, I was simply trying to be different, but I guess it was a bad kind of different, so instead of publishing the sequel, I decided to continue publishing chapters in this here story._

 _Sorry for those who didn't like how I treated this story. I was simply trying to be different, y'know? Aw well. In any case, I hope you guys will enjoy the story._


	22. 2 - 02

As Seri prepares the dining table with Sienna bothering her about the food, Reykan and I are listening to Twilight as she paces around.

"—but the only thing I can think of is that she would need _me_ in this plan of hers instead of _herself_... So...that could be it, I suppose," Miss Purple says as she stops and looks at the longcase clock—forty-two minutes past six in the morning—before she resumes her pacing. "She did say that she needs me to be the one performing our part of the plan instead of herself." She stops and looks at us. "So I guess that would make sense."

I slightly shake my head. "It doesn't make sense to me, since, y'know," I shrug, "I still don't know what Alter-Twilight's plan is..." I wanted to call _her_ 'Psycho-Twilight,' but I don't think Real-Twilight would approve...

Miss Purple nods her head. "I understand, but it's best that I tell all of you about her plan over breakfast."

"Do I really have to eat plants again?" Reykan asks weakly, lying on his belly beside me. He raises his head, his ears turning. "I can hunt outside now, since that wild storm's gone." He pouts. "I'm just going to hunt slower prey for now though... Ugh..."

Oh yeah. The storm's gone. Hm... "Random question, Twilight."

"Hm?"

"Why does the rain from the, uh, _wild storm_ taste so awful?"

"Huh," Reykan blinks, turning his attention to Twilight. "I wanna know, too. Mom didn't know, so my siblings and I never knew, too."

Reykan has siblings?

Twilight sits down in front of us. "Well, I haven't really spent that much time...studying and researching this new environment." She brings a hoof to her chin as her gaze shifts to a random book on a shelf. "But based on my observations and quick magical analysis, wild storms are created by chaos magic."

I blink. "Chaos magic?"

Reykan sighs, his ears drooping. "I never understand almost everything Twilight pony says..."

Seri chuckles as she places five bowls on the circular table. "Just nod and smile and pretend you understand what she's saying, Little Rey."

Reykan sighs again.

Twilight chuckles shyly. "Well... To be honest, I can't really find an alternative term for chaos magic..." She shakes her head. "In any case, chaos magic is a destructive and unpredictable type of mana. It enhances other chaos-like mana and chaos material, but, aside from naturally cancelling harmonious magic, it also cancels other chaos mana."

My head hurts... I'm having a headache from all this magical nonsense talk... And all I wanted to know was why the wild storm rainwater tasted nasty.

"I know what chaos magic is..." Reykan says. He slightly shakes his head before he throws a soft glare at Twilight. "I just don't know what 'studying' and 'reach seething' and 'everyone mint' and 'ob—' whatever are..."

I smile a small smile. "Yesh... Twilight knows a lot of big words, huh?"

"Eh," Reykan ehs as Seri carries a steaming metallic pot towards the table with Sienna tailing her. "At least I now know that wild storms are created by chaos magic."

I blink at him. "...How come you know what chaos magic is?"

He looks and blinks at me. "How come you _don't_ know what chaos magic is?"

"Most non-magical beings don't know a lot about magic," Twilight suddenly says, catching our attention.

"Oh! Forgot the spoon again!" Seri suddenly says. "No! Bad deer! Bad!" I turn and see her shooing Sienna away from the steaming soup in a pot. "No eating until we're all sitting around the table!"

"Get out of my way!" Sienna tries to move past the white feathery blockade to no avail.

I roll my eyes and return my attention back to Miss Purple, who has an amused smile on her face as she stares at the scene. I clear my throat. "Ahem... Go on..."

She blinks and turns her attention back to me. "Oh, uh, sorry about that."

I shrug.

"Well, chaos magic and harmonious magic are two natural and prominent mana that is available...well...everywhere. But non-magical creatures, especially in this world, don't usually know about it, nor do they even know it exist in the first place. But magical creatures, like Sienna and I, can feel the mana around us and it also influences us more than non-magical ones, because...well...we use magic." She turns her head to look at Sienna sitting by the table with a grumpy look on her face. "The deer kind can sense harmonious magic more than chaos magic, because of their natural magical ability to heal." She turns back to us. "And because the deer kind are closely connected to nature. Unicorns, however, are neutral, therefore we can sense both mana equally." She frowns slightly. "However, and I'm sure that you're aware, unicorns are...naturally hot-tempered, and the negative feelings they have kinda _automatically_ absorbs more chaos magic than harmonious magic, enraging them even more."

I blink at that.

"Emotions act like magnets to attract mana more to us. If we're angry, we absorb chaos magic to fuel our anger further, almost making it difficult to control ourselves...like...the _Twilight_ of this world." She takes a breath and sighs before she composes herself. "If we feel love, we absorb harmonious magic to help us act on those feelings."

I arch an eyebrow. "So...if it's mating season, there's more _harmonious_ mana flying around that may infect other ponies, right?"

Twilight blushes slightly.

I still don't understand how blushes work if our skins are covered with fur. Wait... I blink. My eyes then slowly widens in horror. "T-Twilight, I was kidding... This world has a ma—"

"I found the spoon!" Seri exclaims triumphantly, raising the spoon high with a wing as she emerges from the kitchen.

"Horay..." Sienna says quietly with glaring eyes on the wobbling swan. "Can we eat now?"

Right... I needed that distraction. "Since when did you became a grumpy free-loader, Sienna?" I ask with a teasing smile.

She turns to me, her glaring emerald eyes unchanging. "...Every _one_ gets grumpy when they're hungry, Jay. Even you."

I blink blankly at her.

I hear Twilight chuckle as Seri places a spoon by a bowl. "I think your deer friend doesn't know what a free-loader means, Jay."

"I don't know almost everything you say," Reykan suddenly says.

"You'll get used to it, my little panther," Seri says with a beaked smile. "Come on, everyone. Breakfast is served!"

"Jay," Reykan calls, giving me a pleading look as he pokes my hoof with a paw. "I don't wanna eat plant food... It hurts my tummy!"

Twilight smiles at him as she gently pats the panther's head. "Don't worry. I'll make sure that you won't eat too much that'll upset your stomach, Reykan."

He bats her hoof away and looks back to me. "But I don't wanna! Can I hunt a rabbit or a bird outside, please? _Pleeeaaase?_ "

Welp, I can't say no to those big, sparkly sapphire eyes of his. "Alright. But—"

"Awesome!" he exclaims happily and rushes towards the door. He hops in place, staring at the wooden blockade. "Open up! Open up! Open up!"

Twilight turns to me and gives me a disapproving frown that contrasts my amused smile. "But he needs to hear the plan."

"Do you really expect him to understand the plan?" I ask.

"Open up! Open it up already! Open up!" chants the jumpy little furball.

Twilight sighs a defeated sigh. She ignites her horn with purple magic, enveloping the wooden door with her purple magical aura and opening it. "Just be careful with..."

Reykan is already gone.

"...cockatrices..."

I blink. Huh... That reminds me—

"Can we eat now?" Sienna asks impatiently as Twilight magically closes the door. "And thank the deer god, the predator's gone."

Twilight and I approach the table and take our seats...on the floor. She uses her magic to distribute the veggie soup to our bowls, Sienna and Seri instantly attacking their bowls the very moment Twilight's purple aura disappears.

I might as well ask about the cockatrices and the lack of statues—

"All right," Miss Purple says as she looks at me.

—or maybe I'll just wait for the right opportunity...

Twilight continues, "The plan—"

"Seconds please?"

Twilight gawks at Sienna. Seri as well. Heck, even _I'm_ gawking at her.

Sienna blinks and looks at each of us. "What?"

Twilight refills her bowl after snapping out of her trance. "Anyway," she looks at us. "I want all of you to listen."

"We can listen while we eat, right?" Seri asks with a smile. "Seconds please?"

Twilight rolls her eyes as she refills her bowl. "As you three may or may not be aware of, something happened to Equestria. This world that we live in right now?" She shakes her head. "This isn't what Equestria is supposed to be."

"Oh! Oh!" Seri suddenly interrupts with an excited look. "Do that glowy showy thingie!"

Glowy what now?

Twilight nods her head at the swan before she ignites her horn with purple magic. The table soon glows a faint purple light, and seconds later, many various animated scenes appear on the table. Ponies walking on the sidewalks in a city, ponies watching the passing scenery through the train's windows, ponies bowing to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna inside the castle's throne room, the bug bear scene in Ponyville, and so much more. And by that, I mean there are also scenes of different creatures in different locations, like those griffons helping each other with fixing a tree house, dragons leisurely swimming in lava, deer milling around a market place, a giraffe couple talking merrily as they approach a movie theater, and so much more...

"What..." I hear Sienna say in a quiet, awed tone. "...are these...?"

Seri smiles at the gawking deer. "This is what Twilight's Equestria looks like!" She looks back down at the table, staring. "Isn't it beautiful?"

"I...don't even know what I'm looking at," Sienna says with a slow shake of her head.

"I don't either!" Seri agrees merrily. "But it still looks pretty."

"You're looking at the various places of the _real_ Equestria," Twilight explains.

Sienna looks up at her. "You keep on saying about this 'real Equestria,' Twilight, but, isn't _this_ Equestria real, too?"

Twilight nods her head. "In a sense, yes, but..." She looks back at the table, frowning. "Your real Equestria, Sienna, isn't real."

"I...don't follow."

"Something happened," Twilight says. "What you see on the table is what the real Equestria should be. But...something happened, and the many scenes you see on the table?" She closes her eyes and shakes her head. She reopens her eyes with a sad frown. "It all disappeared, and it all became _this_ Equestria."

Sienna slowly, slowly shakes her head. "I...don't understand what you're saying."

"Don't be sad, Sienna!" Seri says with a cheerful smile. "I don't understand it, either! But think of it like this..." She grabs her bowl of soup and tilts it enough for Sienna to see. "Pretend this bowl is Equestria, and the soup is all those you see on the table. Now...something decided to eat all those up!" She lifts her bowl up, pours the soup down her open beak and gulps it all down. "Mmm..." She then shows her empty bowl back to Sienna. "And what happened to Equestria now?"

"Uh..." Sienna blinks, looking completely lost. "...the soup is gone?"

"Yes!" Seri nods her head. "And I'm going to ask Twilight to refill it again! But later! Now do you see? The bowl is empty. The soup is gone! The real Equestria you see on the table-thing is gone! And do you know why?"

"Um... Because some...one ate the real Equestria?"

"Exactly!" Seri says as she slams her bowl down on the table with a huge smile, startling the rest of us. "And Twilight wants to refill this bowl again so she can get the real Equestria back! And also that I can continue eating, because I'm still hungry." She then smiles at Twilight.

Twilight rolls her eyes and refills her bowl as the magic scenes on the table disappears.

"I...think I get it." Sienna says with a blink. She turns to Twilight. "So...the Equestria outside...isn't the real Equestria?"

Miss Purple nods her head.

Sienna looks around. "...And this is what your home looks like in the _real_ Equestria, right?"

Twilight nods her head, looking unsure.

Sienna then looks at me, blinking. "...Jay, you're from the real Equestria, too?"

Er... Should I tell them where I really am from? I glance at Twilight. She's looking at me expectantly. Eh... "Yeah..." I say with a hesitant nod.

Sienna nods her head and turns to Twilight. "And you two want to return home, I take it?"

"Of course," Twilight replies. "But I'm going to need each of you to help me, but..." She bites her lip. "I...I should probably ask you first if you want to help us or not."

"I wanna help!" Seri cheerfully announces. "And more soup, please!"

Twilight refills her bowl before she turns to look back at Sienna.

The deer shrugs. "I can help. It's better than wandering around." She looks down at her bowl with a smile. "And if these are the food you eat back there, then I don't mind going there to eat more of this stuff!"

Way to go, food. It's always nice to know that no matter what world, we can always use you as a tool to use others...

Twilight smiles. "Thank you, Sienna. I really appreciate your help."

"Okay, so..." I say, catching the three females' attention. I blink. Shut up, brain. This is _not_ a harem. "A-ahem... Right. So uh, the plan?"

Twilight nods her head. "We can't really go ahead and try various methods in hopes of fixing Equestria." She shakes her head. "Not until we learn what _caused_ the change."

I blink.

Twilight continues: "So the first thing we need is to figure out who or what changed the events that happened in the past."

I arch an eyebrow.

Twilight continues: "To be more specific, we need to know who or what stopped the Windigoes from freezing Equestria."

Seri stops eating and lifts her small swan head up and looks at Twilight. "Windigoes?" she asks, blinking.

"Question," I say as I raise a hoof. I bring said hoof down before I say, "How are _we_ supposed to accomplish that?"

Twilight smiles. "With a potion."

"With a what?" I ask, blinking.

"What's a potion?" Sienna asks.

Twilight explains: "There was a time when Ponyville was overgrown by chaos vines that—"

Ahh... I remember that episode. The only season premier without an actual villain. Oh, derp. I should probably pay attention.

"—but then Zecora, my zebra friend, gave me a potion that helped me see visions of the past," Miss Purple says with a smile. "And that's what we're going to need to see what _really_ happened in the past! Once we learn who or what caused the change, we can then formulate a plan on how to fix Equestria!"

"Yay!" Seri cheers.

"Zebra?" Sienna asks. "Are those pony-like creatures with black and white colors?"

"Yes," Twilight replies, smiling at her. "Have you met one before? I don't think my altered self has met one before."

Sienna shakes her head. "I haven't met one, but I've heard of them and where they live."

"Oh?"

The deer nods her head. "If I remember correctly, zebras live beyond the hot, windy and grainy earth with no trees and rain."

A...desert?

"They live in a desert?" Twilight asks.

"What's a desert?" Seri and Sienna ask.

They live beyond the desert? We're going to cross a freaking hot desert?

Twilight shakes her head. "Well, we don't need to walk through a desert and meet up with zebras for this plan."

"I still don't know what 'desert' is," Sienna says with a pout.

"Oh! Sorry..." Twilight smiles an apologetic smile. "A desert is...the hot, windy and grainy earth with no trees and rain."

Sienna blinks at her. "...Oh..."

"The more you know," Seri says as she slowly sways a wing from left, then up, and right.

"Anyway," Twilight continues, "Zecora has told me the ingredients she used to make that potion."

"Ah," I ah, "so all we need to do is to gather the ingredients for the potion, yes?"

Twilight nods her head. "Exactly."

I nod as well with a smile. That smile soon starts to fade when something from that episode reminds me of something... "But Twilight..." I say with a frown. "You need alicorn magic to change that potion's color, if I remember correctly."

She blinks her curious eyes at me. "...You really _do_ know a lot..." She furrows her brows. "...I don't remember telling any newsponies about that. So how did you know about that?"

Er... Welp, I'm screwed...

She shakes her head. "It doesn't matter. Right now, I need you three to gather the items."

"Us three?" I ask.

Twilight nods her head. "I want to join you, but, well, other than the fact that ponies and other creatures are afraid of 'Crazy Twilight,' I need to power up those gems to help me amplify my magic to be strong enough to match an alicorn's level of magic."

I blink at her. "Wow... You've thought of that plan well, huh? But," I slightly shake my head, "I uh, by three, I was asking if we're going to include Reykan in this little quest of ours."

"Why do we need that predator?" Sienna suddenly asks me with a glare. "I wanna help you two, but if we bring that predator along, then I won't help you, no matter how delicious the food is in _your_ Equestria."

Food...you failed us...

"Actually, Jay," Twilight says, catching Sienna's and my attention. "By three, I was referring to you, Sienna and Reykan."

"Aw..." Seri pouts. Don't ask how a beaked bird can pout, because she can...for some strange reason... "But I wanna come along!"

Twilight shakes her head. "I'm sorry, Seri, but I need your help with the gems."

Seri hangs her head and sighs a defeated sigh. "...All right." She lamely pushes her bowl forward with her beak. "More soup, please?"

"Why do we need that predator to come along?" Sienna asks angrily.

Scratching sounds suddenly echoes around the library after Twilight refill's Seri's bowl. We all turn our attention to the door.

Squinting, Twilight ignites her horn with magic. Afterwards, her eyes light up. "Oh! It's Reykan." Enveloping the door with her magic, she opens it...

...And in comes a bloody-faced panther cub, carrying a dead rabbit in his jaws, leaving a muddy trail behind him as he approaches us. He stops two or three hooves away, drops the bloody mess on the floor and gives us a bloody proud smile.

"Twilight pony," he says with twinkling eyes. "You can make this rabbit taste more delicious, right?"

Seri, Twilight and I stare at Reykan who excitingly wags his tail, and I wince and shiver from the sounds of Sienna who's throwing up in her bowl.


	23. 2 - 03

A delicious smell of food lingers in the air, mixing with the stinky smell of old books. Unfortunately, I ignore the smell, because I've been concentrating on the list written on this little piece of paper for almost ten minutes now. I never questioned how I was able to walk on four hooves since I first woke up as a pony, so I have assumed that everything pony-related is already written in my pony brain. Buuut... I'm wrong.

I can't read the list Twilight gave me. I even secretly asked Seri and Reykan ( _Sienna's inside the bathroom, emptying her stomach, so I can't ask her_ ) if they could read it when Twilight wasn't looking, but nope, other than Miss Purple herself, none of us—including Sienna, I think—can read what she wrote on this little piece of paper. This only means one thing...

English isn't Equestria's language!

Sure, I can understand them, but maybe that's because my pony brain already knows the dialect. But since Equestrian literature doesn't exist in this version of Equestria ( _maybe_ ), my pony brain doesn't know it. Which means...

...I'm inhabiting a random pony's body. _Le gasp!_

That, or I was a human who simply transformed into a pony, English is the oral language, but English isn't the written language. I can still remember what the English letters look like, but none of these...squiggly wiggly lines match any letters in the English alphabet. ...Although this one looks like the letter 'P' if I rotate the paper in ninety degrees...

Hm... How exactly does that work, anyway? If I'm simply transformed into a pony from being a human, then does the 'magic of transformation' automatically inserts pony-ponies inside my human-turned-pony brain? If I remember correctly, human brains are...heavier than that of a horse.

...Where am I going with this again?

Oh well... At least the numbers still look the same, if the numbers on that grandfather clock is anything to go by. Kinda weird that the numbers on Twilight's clock isn't written in roman numerals though. Then again, roman numerals look like Engl—

"Jay? Is there a problem?"

Oh crap! That's Twilight's voice! Think, pony brain! Think! Uh... "T-this...paper..." I dunno where I'm going with this...

I slowly look up and see Twilight staring at me blankly. She blinks. "...Are you asking where I got the paper from?"

"Uh...yeah! Exactly..." I'm a bad liar when I'm nervous. Add a smile! _And hope it'll work._

"Well," Twilight says as she sits in front of me. "Paper is made from trees—"

I stop myself from rolling my eyes.

"—and there are plenty of trees around, and with magic," she taps her horn with a hoof, as if I don't know where her horn is located. "I can easily make paper!" she says with a smile.

I nod. Phew... I'm glad I walked out of that one. I still am not ready to tell her that I'm not really a pony. We're about to gather the ingredients for a potion that will let us, or _her_ , see what caused Equestria's change. That's a big enough problem on Miss Purple's shoulders to trouble herself with, so adding another weight of _'hey Twilight, did you know I'm not originally a pony and I'm actually from another distant world where Lyra would call it heaven?'_ is not a good idea... So...I might as well help her out with fixing her world first, and _then_ I'll ask for her help to get me back home. I just hope Equestria _can_ be fixed...

"Nah," we hear Reykan say. Twilight and I turn our heads and see the little panther cub sitting by the kitchen entryway, his furred face looking a bit damp.

Earlier, as soon as she snapped out of her trance, Twilight 'tossed' Reykan in the sink to clean the blood off of him—with magic, of course—while she instructed Seri on how to prepare and cook our panther cub's meal. Reykan tried to get out of the water, but, well, with Twilight and her magic, he didn't stand a chance.

"Jay just doesn't know what those black worms on that white leaf are." Reykan smiles at us, completely ignoring the 'shut up' messages I send to him telepathically. Unfortunately, he's not telepathic. I don't think I am, either... "He showed me that leaf earlier, asking if I could 'red' it or whatever..."

Miss Purple blinks at him before she slowly turns her head back to face me. "...You...cannot read that?"

Uh... Um... "Er..."

"That light must've made you forget how to read!" Twilight screeches in disbelief, looking at me in horror, complete with her ears drooped. She then stands up on her four hooves and starts to pace around in panic. "Oh no! What if I forget how to read later on, too? I-I can't imagine what I'd do! Oh my gosh! What should I do?!"

"T-Twilight..." I call, but my voice enters one purple ear and exits through the other.

"Oh my gosh! I-I-I have to cast a spell on myself so I won't forget how to read! But what spell should I cast?! Should I cast that spell I cast before that light got me?"

"Twilight," I call a little louder this time, catching her fragile attention. "You need to calm down."

"Calm down? Calm down?!" She gives me a horrified look, with a twitching eye. "I'm about to lose my ability to read! And you want me to calm down?!"

I blink. "What are you even going to read, anyway?"

"My research papers!"

She has research papers here? That explains the lack of trees close to her tree home then... So Seri's her source of quills?

"I can't double check and triple check them if I can't read! And what about my notes?! My checklists! Now that I know that I won't be worrying about my episodes _too much_ , I can finally concentrate on researching and experimenting and—and—the preparations for the potion, but then now I'm going to lose my ability to read! What if I forget how to write, too?!"

"Twilight," I call as she starts pacing and mumbling again. "You're being ridiculous..." Eh, I don't think she's listening anymore... Ignoring her, I sigh, stand up on my three free hooves and walk towards the study table with my other hoof—bent up so the frog is facing up—carrying the piece of paper. Reaching the said table, I place the paper on it and stare at it as I sit down, but nope, I really can't read it.

"Are you...ignoring me?" Twilight suddenly asks from behind.

I shrug. "Well, you were ignoring me, too..." I turn my head over my shoulder and I see her staring at me with wide eyes and mouth agape. My ears droop. Eeyup, I guess that was rude of me to just...leave her. "Sorry about that, Twilight."

She shakes her head with a sad frown. "It's... It's fine. I know I ramble a lot at times, but, but... You can't read? What if I won't be able to read, too? And write, as well? I—"

There she goes again... "Deep breaths, Twilight," I interrupt her.

Twilight blinks at me with her mouth hanging open, her next words probably suddenly stuck in her throat. She closes her mouth before she slightly shakes her head, and she then takes deep breaths to calm herself down.

"Is Twilight pony really this weird?" I hear Reykan say.

Seri laughs merrily from the kitchen. "Hahah, yes. You'll get used to it. Anyway! Your...um..." A pause. "... _meat_ stew is ready."

"Horay!" I turn my head to look at him. Reykan is jumping in place by the kitchen's entryway, his attention on the swan inside. "So what's a meat stew? Is that what meat is called when...uh...'cooked?' And is it as tasty as the plant food we had? But instead of plants, its rabbit?"

"Erm..." Seri wobbles out of the kitchen, wearing a forced smile but her eyes show signs of disgust and discomfort as she wobble-carries the steaming bowl with gloved wings, heading towards the study table beside me with her head leaning _way_ back to avoid the steam from the bowl, and with Reykan eagerly following her close behind. "I...sure hope so?" She places the bowl on the table in a respectable distance from me.

"Cool!" Reykan jumps by the table beside me with a wide, excited smile, his tail wagging as he eyes the steaming bowl on the table above him. "It smells really, _really_ good, too! It's definitely gonna taste great!" His twinkling eyes then shifts to me. "Books! Gimme books!"

Twilight levitates a wooden stool for him to sit on. "I wonder why we didn't use a stool instead of books when you first arrive here..."

Reykan eagerly climbs and stands on the stool.

I shrug. "Meh. We probably overlooked it in the previous 'act.'"

"The previous what now?"

"You should add that to Pinkie's great big list of life's mysteries," I say with an amused smile as Reykan now stands on his hind paws, his front paws on the table and his gaze and drooling open jaw lock on the steaming bowl.

"She has a list?" I hear Twilight ask from behind. "A mental list, I take it?"

Seri winces. "Reykan is adorably cute right now, but..." After another wince, the swan wobbles away from the drooling panther cub and stands by Twilight's side. "Cooking meat is...um..." I hear her whisper. "...a very...how shall I put it?"

"Don't worry too much about it, Seri," I hear Twilight say. "You'll get used to it." I swear I could _hear_ Twilight's teasing grin from that line. I blink. Wait... Twilight sounds like she's used to preparing meat—

"Hey!" Seri says, probably pouting. "That's my line!"

Damn, Seri. What was I thinking just now? Eh... "So..." I say, still staring at Reykan, my ear slightly twitching after hearing the cub's growling stomach. "Are you going to eat that or no?"

I hear Twilight's magic working from behind me and see Reykan's bowl glow in a faint, bluish light. A few seconds later, the light disappeared, and the soup appears to be not-too-steamy and not-too-hot anymore.

And then Reykan attacks the bowl.

I quickly cover the paper with my hoof and move it away from the messy eater as I hear Sienna's pained groan from upstairs.

"Ungh..." Sienna groans again, making me turn my head to look at her. She slowly walks down the steps, her head hanging a little low. She sniffs the air, her features lighting up, if only a little bit. "Mm... That smells good..." she says with a small smile as she finally climbs down the last step. "What is it? I could eat something after that—" she pauses, her emerald eyes growing wide.

I blink and turn to Reykan, who is looking at her with a furless rabbit leg sticking out from his jaw. "Want shome?"

Aaand Sienna disappears back into the toilet upstairs, Twilight and Seri wincing from her departure.

Reykan shrugs before he faces his bowl again to continue eating.

"N-nice to know that the sound-proofing spell is still working in there," Twilight chuckles lamely.

Ignoring Reykan's noisy eating noises, I turn to look at Miss Purple, who regards me with a blink. "So... The list?"

Twilight blinks again before she frowns. "...You honestly cannot read it, huh?"

I sigh a sad sigh. "No..."

Twilight sighs as well.

Seri blinks, shifting her gaze from the two of us. "List? Cannot read?" Another blink. "Ah!" she squawks. "The black worms on that white leaf Jay showed me earlier?"

Twilight rolls her eyes as she turns to her. "They're not worms, Seri. They were—"

"Ah," the swan suddenly says with a frown. "They're not? No wonder I couldn't eat them."

Twilight continues, probably choosing to ignore her remark. "...They were my hoofwriting, and I wrote a list of the ingredients that we need for this plan of ours."

"You mean 'magic writing,' right?" I ask.

Twilight ignores my remark as she faces me. "Is your memory good?"

I blink. "I...think so?"

She nods her head. "I need six items to make the potion, but you'll only need to gather four items, since the other two items are close by, and I can get them myself with no trouble at all." She looks back at the stairs. "We should probably wait for Sienna to come down."

I nod my head. "All right." I blink. "Wait..."

"Hm?" Twilight looks back at me.

"You said the other two items are close by, right?"

Twilight nods her head.

I...already know the answer to my question... "...Does this mean the other four are...located far from here?"

Twilight smiles a small, shy and nervous smile. "Eheheh... Uhm... About that."

I blink.

Her cheeks redden a bit as she looks away. "I...don't know where to find them in _this_ world."

I feel my ears droop along with my frown.


	24. 2 - 04

I sigh a long sigh. "Why can't the potion simply be milk from cows?" Well, it'll be easy to get milk if the potion really was made out of that stuff. And of course, the universe wouldn't want that... Sigh...

We're still inside the library. Er...in Twilight's tree home, I mean, and we're all gathered in the main room, sitting around the circular study table.

"So..." Sienna says, catching our attention. She's giving Twilight a strange look. "...you'll need mushrooms that are red during the day, and turns into blue when the night?"

"And clover leaves that create sounds when you blow air at them?" Seri asks.

"Silver ladybug eggshells?" Reykan asks, tilting his head to the side a little.

I frown. "And some roots of poison joke." I close my eyes, take a breath and exhale through my nostrils. I reopen my eyes and frown at Miss Purple. "The ingredients sound like a joke... I'm starting to consider just staying in this world until I die..."

Twilight rolls her eyes with a frown of her own. "Zecora made the potion, Jay, and she gave me the list of the things she used when she made that potion." She brings a hoof over her chest. "She's a friend, and I trust her." She brings her hoof down. "She told me that the ingredients can be found in the Everfree Forest."

"But the forest doesn't exist in this world," I point out.

She nods her head, her ears drooping. "Yes... Which is why I told you that I don't know where to look for them in _this_ world."

I sigh.

"So what are the other two things?" Sienna asks with a curious blink.

Twilight looks at her. "Well... They're spider silk from leaf spiders and cockatrice's feathers."

Sienna winces. "Cockatrices?"

Twilight slightly shakes her head. "They're very dangerous creatures, yes, especially with their ability to turn others into stone aside from their own kind. But I can handle—"

"Yep!" Reykan interrupts with a nod. "They're kinda scary, but it's a good thing wild storms turn you back to normal."

I blink at him. Wild storms can _unpetrify_ you if those chicken snakes turn you to stone? Huh... I wonder if petrification can stop your body from aging. Wouldn't that be a great an alternative way to travel through time? Meh...

Reykan chuckles. "It was really funny when Syroc became a rock!"

I arch an eyebrow. "Sy _whonow?_ "

"My sibling."

Sienna blinks blankly at him.

"Aww..." Seri coos. "There are more cute little panther cuties like you, little Rey?"

Reykan glares at her.

Sienna gulps, ears drooping. "They're pr-probably bigger...scarier...meaner..."

Reykan turns to her with a smile. "They are! They're also better at hunting than me!" He frowns. "Don't tell them I said that."

Something tells me that Sienna's definitely not going to tell them that.

Reykan continues: "That's why I left them earlier than I should, so I could become better than them! Hahah!" He looks at me with a smile. "And I'm going to prove that by eating you, Jay!" He blinks at me, smile still present. "I'm still gonna eat you, right?" He turns to Twilight. "After you're done talking to Twilight pony?" He turns back to me.

I arch an eyebrow. "Uh...sure, I guess."

"Cool!"

"Jay!" Sienna yells as she throws a horrified look my way. "You're just...gonna let him kill you?!"

"It won't come to that," Twilight says with a shake of her head. "Not if I can help it."

Reykan doesn't seem to have heard them as he is still looking at me. "So when are you gonna be done talking to Twilight pony?"

I shrug. "Soon, I guess. But I need to gather the four items she needs first."

"'Kay!"

Whatever. I guess if the potion wouldn't work, then Twilight's going to think of another way to fix Equestria, making my 'talk' with Miss Purple to extend.

...I sure hope the potion works though. I don't want to be stranded here for too long...

Reykan suddenly stands up on his stool, jumps down to the floor and dashes towards the door. "Well, I gotta go!"

I arch an eyebrow once again as I see him stopping in front of the wooden door. "You're...leaving?"

"Yup!" Reykan turns and smiles at me. "I gotta get ready!"

I blink. "Get ready for what?"

"Just let him go already," Sienna says rather hurriedly.

Igniting her horn, Twilight magically opens the front door, and closes it after our little panther cub walks out.

"Huh..." I blink at the door before I shrug. "Oh well..." I suppose it's better to have a healer companion than having a hurter companion... I turn to Twilight. "Random question... Why do wild storms _unpetrify_ petrified...creatures?"

"Chaos magic, Jay," Twilight replies. "Chaos magic cancels other chaos magic. Cockatrice uses chaos magic to turn their victims to stone, and wild storms are created by huge amounts of chaos magic."

So if wild storms are created by chaos magic, does that mean chaos magic taste awful? Eh... I nod my head. "R-right..." Not sure if I get that and all of these magical nonsense. "So... Mushrooms that are red by day and blue by night, sound-making clover leaves, silver ladybug eggshells and poison joke roots."

Twilight nods her head. "Yep. That's all of them."

"Right..." I sigh. "Now to figure out where to freaking get these freaking things..."

Seri smiles at me. "There are many ladybugs in Swan Lake!"

First, Oddete, and now she mentions Swan Lake? What, is Prince Eric here in this world, too? I wonder who the pigs consider their god here is. Babe? Meh...

"I wonder how everyswan is doing over there," Seri asks to no one in particular.

Twilight's horn glows, pulling out a large rolled-up scroll from one of the shelves. She magically places the scroll on the table and _unrolls_ it, almost covering the entire table, revealing a rough drawing of what looks like Equestria.

"Oh!" Seri chirps, smiling as she looks at the map. "It's the map!"

"A map?" Sienna asks, blinking at the swan. "What's a map?"

Dora, get out of my head.

Slightly shaking my head, I look down at the map as Seri and Twilight inform our deer friend what a map is. There are a few labels, mostly around the middle part of the map. The map is facing Twilight, so the labels are all upside-down on my end, but I can still read them well.

What? When I was younger, my bro and I read stuff upside-down if we were bored. Not often though, because it gives us a headache, but hey, we had fun. We didn't have a lot of money back then, so we tried to find ways to kill time. Eh... Not the time to walk around memory lane.

Hm... Let's see here... Canterlot Mountain is on the very middle. A little to the east, inside a drawn forest by "Foal Mountain," is a tree labelled as 'Twilight's Tree.' So that's where we are right now. A little south from Canterlot Mountain is 'Sheep Hills,' followed by 'Cow Pastures.' Further south is a forest and then...blank. Around that vast blank space is where AJ and Pinkie live. Most likely near the forest's edge. I wonder if it's all right to tell Twilight where they are now that Alter-Twilight's tamer? Eh, anyway... Far west from Canterlot Mountain, aside from the numerous 'Pony Pastures,' are 'Fox Dens,' 'Goat Valley,' 'Giraffe Pastures,' a few more 'Sheep Hills,' and 'Elephant Plains.'

And far down south from Twilight's tree home is a lake-like drawing labelled 'Swan Lake.' The said lake is in the middle of a forest. The eastern edge of the forest is a sea or an ocean, and on the west is the mountainous borders of the "Badlands," complete with quotation marks.

I blink... Wait a minute... I look up at Twilight. "...Why are the labels written in English?"

Twilight stops her little map explanation to blink a curious blink at me. "English?"

I look back at the map. "I...can read the labels."

"You can?"

I nod my head as I read a few of the labels on the map. Afterwards, I look back at her.

Twilight leans forward, her eyes growing wide. "You **can** read! B-but I thought..."

I shake my head. "Twilight, no offence, but I don't have a clue what you wrote on that little piece of paper earlier, but," I look back at the map. "...I can read the labels you wrote on this map." I blink and look back at her. "You...are the one who wrote the labels on the map, right?"

She nods her head. "Well, of course. It's a common practice to use the old Equestrian alphabet in labeling locations on a map. Often times with book titles on their covers and spines too, but over the years, publishers and authors began using the modern Equestrian alphabet instead of the old one." She clears her throat. "Ahem... Anyway..." She looks down at the map with a curious frown. "This doesn't make sense..." She looks at me. "How come you can read old Equestrian, but not the modern one?"

I blink. Old Equestrian? English really _does_ exist in this world, but with a different name?

"I don't understand most of what she just said," I hear Sienna whisper.

Seri chuckles a quiet chuckle. "You'll get used to it."

Twilight shakes her head, either not hearing or simply ignoring the other two females. "But...maybe...just maybe..." She looks at the map with furrowed brows. "In history, unicorn tribes who are responsible for raising the sun and the moon were the ones who invented the Old Equestrian alphabet. They were—and still are, I think—living in the neighboring region of Equestria to the west. The tribe who controls the sun lived in the mountainous regions in the north, while the tribe who controls the moon lived in the watery south."

I blink and look back at the map. Hm... Welp, the drawn map only shows Equestria.

Twilight continues: "Because the two tribes lived so far away from each other, delivering messages through the mouths of their messengers became impractical, especially if the messenger starts to forget bits and pieces of the message during his or her journey. So one day, the tribes agreed to meet and during that meeting, they invented the alphabet, and ever since then, they started writing to each other and the messenger ponies carry the letter to the other tribe."

I blink. Huh...

"The Old Equestrian Alphabet was invented long before the Windigo insident." Twilight blinks at me. "So... Since the past was changed, the modern Equestrian alphabet never came to be. Not only that, but the unification of the three pony races never happened, thus, none of the three groups of ponies ventured out to find new land. They didn't discover Equestria...yet."

I blink again.

Twilight continues: "Through the years, more and more sapient creatures learned about the old Equestrian alphabet in the neighboring region." She nods her head. "This is just a theory, but over the years, many ponies probably started...'branching out' and maybe, your ancestors settled here in Equestria, carrying the knowledge of the letters. Your 'alternate self' must have probably already knew it before your 'real consciousness' came here in this world, and that is why you can read Old Equestrian literature."

"Huh..." I blink. "I...guess that makes sense?" I tilt my head to the side. "So...why is it called 'Old _Equestrian_ Letters' if it didn't originate in Equestria?"

Miss Purple shrugs.

I arch an eyebrow. "Er, not really the answer I was expecting from you, Miss Bookworm."

Miss Purple shakes her head. "In any other day, I would be thrilled to tell you all about history and its specifics in great detail, but not right now."

Sigh... "Right, right... The potion. Let's get this over with." No reason to prolong it any longer anyway. I look at our swan companion. "Seri," I call.

"Hm?" she blinks and looks at me with a beaked smile.

"You said that there are silver ladybugs in the lake?"

"Oh, absolutely, positively maybe."

I blink. I frown. "What do you mean by 'maybe?'"

She shrugs. Wow, I didn't know swans can shrug too. "I didn't see a lot of them when I was still living there. They shine when the light of the sun hits them, plus, they're pretty delicious, so..." Seri chuckles. "Most swans race to eat them if they spot the white glow on leaves and grass. Ah, good times." She shakes her head. "I left our little lake...hm...seven moons ago, I think? So I don't know if there are still any silver ladybugs there. But hey! There are other colored ladybugs there, if you're curious."

"So... Your kind drove them towards extinction?"

Seri blinks a blank blink.

I take a breath and sigh. "Eh... It's worth a shot." I look at Sienna. "Maybe we can also ask the...uh...swans over there if they know where to get the other items."

Sienna nods her head. She then furrows her brows, glaring at me. "I can help you and Twilight, but do we _really_ need to have Reykan coming along with us?"

I blink at her. "Why not?" I shrug. "If he wants to come along, that is."

"Jay," Sienna's glare intensifies. "He's a panther. A predator! He eats leaf-eaters like us!"

I shrug. "We're not yet eaten, last time I checked."

"That's not the poi—!"

"Calm down, everyone!" Twilight suddenly says, silencing Sienna. She then gives me a pointed look. "And Jay, that was not a nice thing to say."

I blink, feeling my ears droop. I take a breath and sigh. This is why I don't usually talk with someone, because I can barely watch what I say...

"Especially to someone who's willing to help us restore Equestria," Miss Purple continues to say, still giving me a disapproving look. "Jay, I need you to apologize to her."

I grit my teeth. Wow... Twilight's treating me like a kid, and that stings... I take a breath and sigh. Unfortunately, she's right... I look up at Sienna, who is staring blankly at Twilight for a second or two before she shifts her gaze on me.

"Sorry..." I say rather quietly.

Sienna shakes her head. "...For what?"

Right... Make this even more difficult for me, why don't you? Sigh... "For...my sarcastic remark. And stuff..."

Sienna shakes her head once more. "I don't care about that." She furrows her brows. "But what I _do_ care is why you want Reykan to come along!"

"I..." ...why do I want him to come along, anyway? "...don't." I slightly shake my head. "I said, if he wants to come along, then why not?"

"I'm not going to help you if _he_ will come along."

I sigh... "Fine, fine..." I turn to Twilight. "Any thoughts?"

"Hm..." Twilight hms. "I'm sorry Jay, but I'm going to side with Sienna on this one." She takes a breath. "While it is true that Reykan hadn't eaten you or any of us, and while it is true that his child-like innocence is, in Seri's words, cute, he is still a predator, and predators are often times unpredictable, especially during the age of maturity. Not to mention that Reykan was able to harm you _and_ Seri before, so what's stopping him from harming you or any of us again?"

I sigh as I nod in defeat. I turn to Seri.

The swan is quietly looking at the map with a smile. After she probably noticed the silence, she looks up at us with a blink. "Hm?" A pause. She squawks a surprised squawk. "Oh! I'm sorry!" She quickly throws an apologetic look at Twilight. "I wasn't listening! Um... What were you talking about?"

Twilight chuckles as I roll my eyes. "Don't worry about it, Seri," Miss Purple says.

I stand up on four hooves with a defeated sigh. "Right. I can't win against the majority. I might as well let Reykan know."

"Reykan?" I hear Seri ask as I turn and walk towards the door. "Let him know what?"

"He can go and hunt anywhere he wants," Sienna replies.

"Aw..." Seri says as I stop in front of the door. "He's not going to help and is going to leave us soon?" I hear her sniff. "I'm going to miss the little cutie..."

"I can't believe you!" Sienna yells as I turn my head to look at Twilight. "He attacked you and Jay as well!"

Ignoring the deer and swan banter, I gesture with my head. Twilight nods her head and magically opens the door for me, and almost immediately, fresh and cool foresty air fills my lungs.

"Ah..." I breath out with a smile as I look outside. Beyond the wide brown earth that surrounds Twilight's tree home, the green grass and the green leaves of the many trees embrace the sun's morning rays, morning dews reflecting the sunlight like tiny diamonds in the sea of green. "Feels like I've been stuck inside a stinky library for years."

Whew... The outside world looks really wonderful. I wish my home world is as naturally beautiful as this world.

Eh, enough of the boring sappy stuff... I turn and look at Twilight. "Right. Twilight, do you happen to have any backpacks lying around here?"

She blinks at me. "...What's a backpack?"

Sienna and Seri ceases their banter and curiously looks at the two of us.

I blink. Oh... Right... "Er... S-saddlebag, I mean."

"Oh," Twilight says as she tilts her head to the side. "Whatever for?"

I give her a deadpan look. "For the ingredients, you egghead. What else?" Yesh, and there I go again with my snappy choice of words. "Sor—"

"Oh, right," Twilight says with a sheepish grin. "Eheheh... Eh... Ahem..." She stands up on four hooves as she looks upstairs. "I...may have some materials that I could use to make something for storing items." She slightly shakes her head. "I'm not sure if I have enough materials for a saddlebag, but I'm sure I can come up with something!" She then smiles at Seri. "Seri, would you mind helping me?"

"Not at all!" Seri chirps, and soon, the two females trot and wobble up the stairs.

"With magic," I hear Twilight say, "it wont take long for me to make one, Jay."

I nod my head, even though she wouldn't see it. "Take your time." I didn't mean that though. I actually want her to hurry. I know she will, because she's eager to restore Equestria back to normal.

Anyway, I turn back and look outside. Hm... I wonder if it'll be a good idea to walk outside as I wait? Now that the storm's gone, cockatrices and other creatures might be wandering around.

...

... ...

... ... ...meh. I'll just not wander too far.

"Where are you going?" I hear Sienna ask as I walk outside—

Eugh... The brown earth's freaking wet and muddy. Sigh... Well, I'm going to get muddy hooves sooner or later anyway. "Just going for a walk," I reply without looking back as I slowly take a few more steps, feeling the weird cold muddy feeling on my four hooves.

Huh... It was raining when we were entering Twilight's home. I wonder why our hooves and paws weren't muddy at the time. Meh, must have been an oversight.

I stop my slow little walk before I look up and around. Above the glittering green sea of leaves, thin wispy clouds peacefully roll by on the morning blue sky. Chirping noises echo from the forest, adding a peaceful and melodic effect on the natural beauty of the morning scene.

My ear twitch as I hear a quiet little noise from behind me. Looking back, I see the door open and the darkness inside the hollow. Something moved above my peripheral vision. I look up and see a familiar black feline cub on one of lowest yet thick branches of Twilight's dead tree home, his sapphire eyes on me.

Oh, right. I almost forgot. Well, I might as well tell him that he's not coming with us before I forget about it again. "Oh, hey there, Rey—"

"Grraaawwrr!" he suddenly jumps off of the branch towards me, sharp paws and jaws at the ready!


	25. 2 - 05

"Holy sh—!" I jerk back but slip, flailing my hooves in the air and accidentally hitting Reykan's lunging form. "Oof!" I land on the muddy ground on my side, splashing mud everywhere. I quickly lift my head up and look at Reykan as I try to calm my fast-beating heart. "R-Reykan, what the hell?!"

He quickly gets back on his paws, mud covering most of his side as he glares at me with a smile. "You came out! So you're done talking to Twilight pony!" And then he lunges at me once again.

God damn it! I should have stood up! Thinking quickly, I swipe my hoof on the muddy ground in front of me, throwing a wave of mud towards the yelping panther cub.

"Gah—!" Reykan yelps in surprise, mud covering his face.

I quickly get back on my four hooves as my eyes lock on Reykan who's two or so hooves away from me, hissing through his fanged teeth as he tries to wipe the mud out of his eyes with his muddy paws. Yeah, good plan, kid.

"Reykan," I say through my rapid breaths, ignoring his turning ears. "I still need to get the items Twilight needs! You _know_ that—whoa!"

"Grraaawrr!" with his eyes covered with mud, he still lunges at me with great accuracy, probably relying on his hearing now.

I yelp and shuffle back in time to avoid his fanged jaws from biting my hooves. "Holy shit! Are you serious?!" I ask as I make some distance between us.

He quickly jumps forward, but I slap him with a muddy hoof, throwing him back with a wave of mud. He slides on the mud and struggles to get up, his body covered with more mud.

"Stop it, Rey!" I yell, ignoring a brown figure who just came out from the tree's dark hollow. "I seriously do _not_ want to hurt you!"

"You promised, Jay!" he shouts back, turning so he can blindly face me with a confident grin, ears moving. "I kept my promise! Why shouldn't you?"

"What's going on here?" Sienna asks, blinking at the two of us.

I ignore her. "But I never—"

"You said not to eat you!" Reykan cuts me off as he readies himself to run towards me again. "You said not to until you see Twilight pony! I didn't eat you! I kept my promise! So now that you're out and done talking to her, I can now eat you as you promised!"

I don't like where this is going.

"Rrraaawrrr—!" aaand he dashes towards me.

"Eep!" Sienna suddenly eeps, _as if she's the one getting attacked_ , before quickly returning inside the tree.

My heart is racing, and my brain is telling me to get away. I shake my head, furrow my brows and swing a hoof upwards like a hoofed uppercut, hitting the cub under his chin and throwing his lunging form over my head. And then mud flies to my face and eyes! Gah! It stings!

"Whoa—oof!" he lands behind me with a muddy splash.

I quickly wipe the mud off of my eyes with the clean parts of my hoof. "I never promised anything to you, Reykan," I say as I turn around to face him.

Reykan growls as he gets back up on his four paws and quickly dashes towards me, his paws striking the muddy ground, creating a series of miniature muddy eruption.

I grit my teeth and prepare my hoof to swing again, waiting for him to jump at me, but instead of jumping at me, he continues his quick dash and tackles my hooves, catching me off-guard. Wincing from the pain, I move back as I lift a hoof to pound on him, but then he jumps at me, his clawed paws stabbing my shoulders and his fanged jaws biting my neck!

"Gaaah—!" I shout in pain as I try to shake him off. With that not working, human instincts suddenly kick in, making me lift both my hooves up to grab him— Aaand I collapse on the mud with Reykan. "Grrrk—!"

Lying on his back, Reykan thrashes his hind paws in the air. I hiss in pain, my vision going blurry as I try to think of a way to save my freaking self while trying to not let the pain and panic consume me.

Damn it, damn it...! Calm down! I-I...I'm going to die, aren't I? No! No! I...I-I can think of somethi— Will it work? Fucking hell how should I know and I freaking don't care!

Hissing in pain, I close my blurry and teary eyes, quickly extend my hooves and drag them on the ground towards my painful neck like a bulldozer, dragging some mud to bury my painful neck and Reykan's maw. I continue my futile attempts of 'drowning' him, trying my damnedest to ignore the thought that I'm about to kill someone, but as the seconds fly by and as I feel myself losing my consciousness, ' _screw it!_ ' I shout in my head. It's either kill of be killed in this stupid alternate Equestria! But the stupid kid's fanged bite is still as strong and painful as ever. As a few more seconds fly by, my hope and my strength is starting to slip from me until I feel Reykan loosens his bite on my neck. He kicks and thrash his paws wildly in an attempt to get his head out of the mud as his fangs free my neck, and I quickly take the opportunity to pull my head out, Reykan quickly inhaling through his open mouth only for the mud to cover it.

Reykan's stuck, his head and body buried under the mud, his paws sticking out from the mound of mud, thrashing wildly. I feel my neck throb in pain as I feel thick and warm liquid gush out from my wound. I am breathing fast and deep, my heart beating like mad, and my wavering gaze on Reykan's flailing paws.

I... Am I just going to watch Reykan like this? I should... No! I should get away! The damn kid was trying to kill me just now!

With an eye twitch, I turn around but stop when I notice Reykan's paws are slowing down, making me hold my breath.

Oh, shit... I... Am I just...gonna let him die? A child? He's a predator, sure, but...fuck... But... But... He...tried to kill me. God damn it. I hate making big, life-changing decisions! Gah! S-should I—?

Shit! He's slowing down... Damn... Damn...!

I hiss as I swipe a chunk of mud out of his muzzle with a hoof, but two clawed paws grab my hoof, making me pull Reykan's head slightly out of the mud. I hiss from the stabbing pain as I hear Reykan inhale a deep breath before he starts coughing.

"R-Reykan, Reykan!" I pull him out, despite how painful his clawed grip is on my hoof. He lets go of my hoof and slowly tries to sit himself up on the mud as he continues his violent coughing fit.

God, he's alive... He'll kill me. He'll freaking kill me... But damn it, I can't bring myself to stop him from killing me!

...I can't bring myself the thought of killing someone...

I didn't notice until now that I'm already sitting down, my gaze on Reykan's coughing form, but at the same time, _not_ on him...

I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and sigh... Damn it...

"Ow..." I hear Reykan say in a quiet tone. He coughs a few more times. "...I...guess I'm not strong enough yet..." I reopen my eyes in time to see him sigh. "I'm not strong enough to take down a pony yet..." He then looks at me, his sapphire eyes blinking and his jaw forming a disappointed frown. "You're bleeding, Jay."

I...deadpan. "...Gee... I wonder why?" I close my eyes yet again, take a deep breath, and let out a heavy sigh through my muzzle. "I'm...sorry, Rey." I shake my head before I reopen my eyes to give the panther cub a soft glare. "...But I won't let you eat me."

"Not yet, right?" he asks with a smile.

I blink at him.

"Not until I'm big enough and strong enough, right?"

... ... ... "... ... ..." ... ... ...I shrug. "Eh, sure, I guess?"

"Cool!" he says rather cheerfully.

...Here's to hoping that this won't bite me in the ass sooner or later. Or in the neck. Whichever gets bitten first in the future... Sigh...

Reykan coughs a couple times. He looks down, glaring at the mud I think. "Ehk... My mouth taste like mud."

"...At least it's not sand, right?" _I can't help myself._ I take another breath and sigh. "Look, Reykan, I—"

"Hm?" He looks up at me, sapphire eyes blinking.

Why am I apologizing? He's the one who attacked me. He's the one who tried to kill me earlier. But damn it. We humans have this stupid thing called 'consciousness', and mine can literally drive me crazy if I ignore it for too long. Like, really. Meh, it's a story for another time. I sigh once again. "...I'm sorry." There, I said it. Why do I still feel heavy? Eh...probably because of the hardening mud weighing me down.

"For what?"

I roll my eyes. Of _course_ Reykan will ask that question to make me say it. "For um...trying to kill you...and stuff..."

He blinks at me. "But all you did was swat me with your hoof." He chuckles. "I think it was _me_ who was trying to kill you."

I blink at him. "...I tried to drown you."

Sapphire eyes blinks at me. Reykan looks around. "...I don't see any water around."

I facehoof. I insta-regret it as mud covers a part of my face and an eye.

"Did I do a job though?" he asks with a curious smile as I shake my head to rid of the mud on my face. He winces all too suddenly. "Well, I didn't get to kill and eat you, but I did good, right?"

... ... ... "... ... ...yes?"

"Cool!" He blinks. His eyes twinkle as it widens. "I have an idea!"

My ears droop. "No."

"You should let me practice!" he says with a wide smile.

"...Please tell me you're joking."

He blinks, his smile fading. "...No, I'm not." He shakes his head. "Why would I be? I mean, I need more practice if I wanna take down a pony, right?"

What the hell—? Is this how predators' line of thinking goes? Use their potential prey as their test subjects?

"Please?"

Oh, no. No. No! Not the puppy-dog eyes plus the lower pouty lip combo!

"Pleeeaaase?"

Damn it! He added twinkling stars in his eyes, too! Argh...! "Fiiine..." I'm going to regret this, I swear.

"Yes!" He tries to jump, but all he manages to do is throw his upper body up in the air while his other half is still kinda stuck in the mud. "Whoa—oof!" His back lands on the muddy ground, splashing mud around and on me. "...I'm starting to hate mud," he says, glaring at the sky.

"But no biting," I say with a glare.

"Mmkay," he replies with a big grin. "...Can you help me out of this?"

"If I say no, what will you do?"

"I'll bite during practice."

"Helping you now."

I hear voices coming out from the not-library tree as I pull Reykan out of the mud.

"—and he's going to kill him!" that's Sienna's voice.

"Sienna," that's Twilight's voice. Her voice sounds so clear, maybe because she's already outside. "I don't think Reykan's attacking Jay. I mean, look at them—oh my gosh, Jay! You're bleeding!"

Yesh... I noticed. I glare at Reykan who's giving me a sheepish smile.


	26. 2 - 06

I stare at my muddy reflection on the mirror inside Twilight's illusionary bathroom. I blink... This... This is actually the first time I've seen a clear image of what I really look like. The previous ones were from the watery surfaces, but they didn't give me a clear reflection like this here mirror. Too bad that the mirror is only big enough to see my neck and head. I can't detach it though, not without fingers for grasping purposes. These pony hooves of mine are not built for grabbing stuff, no matter what the show showed me.

I turn my head left and right, my gaze still on my reflection. Damn, I look like Doctor Whooves from that special one hundredth episode of em el pee. Minus the mud, of course, and I think the doctor's mane is a little lighter than mine. Meh...

I study my neck's reflection. Eeyup... Twilight did a pretty good job at healing me...again. Reykan apologized in front of the females. Twilight accepted his apology reluctantly, Sienna doesn't want to be near him, and Seri hugged and nuzzled him. Said panther's probably in the kitchen's sink once again.

I smirk and slowly shake my head. Right. Better get the mud out of my fur.

Twilight's bathroom has a sink, a faucet, a mirror, a toilet, a wastebasket, a toilet paper ( _I have_ no _idea how non-magical ponies can use_ that ( _then again, I don't remember a time when nature called_ )), a hamper, a weird tiled box where the bathroom's cleaning materials are probably stored, a tub with a purple shower curtain, and of course a showerhead. Whew... Here's to hoping that all of these illusionary things are working like how they should be.

I wonder what's that weird stinky smell though. It smells familiar, but it's eewy for me to remember. The smell struck my nose ever since I walked inside the bathroom. Meh...

The thought of getting a shower lifts my spirits. Whew... I love showers. Although I don't really like the time I waste while having a shower. And the water bill... Oh well... I doubt this world has water bills.

I walk towards the tub and—what the heck?!

"Yuck! Yuck yuck yuck yuck—!" I quickly walk backwards as I violently shake my head to get rid of the eewy image I've seen. I bump my rear on the bathroom door, still chanting the yucky chant. I quickly turn around, open the door with my mouth—

"Jay?"

—and march out the bathroom with a disgusted look on my face, still chanting the yucky chant.

"Are you okay—Jay! Stop dirtying my room!" Twilight shouts from where she sits by a table. "...again!"

I stop. Oh, right... I still have mud on me. "S-sorry..." I look and smile a sheepish smile at her, which isn't winning the battle against her disapproving frown.

We're in Miss Purple's room on the second floor of her dead tree home. The lower half has bookshelves filled with books, a staircase leading down to the main library's room, an opened bathroom door and a small set of staircase leading up to the upper portion of the room where her bed and a few more bookcases are located. Still no windows though... And yes, it still smells like stinky old books, but it's a graceful replacement smell from the...eewy smell in the bathroom. I shiver involuntarily...

I slightly shake my head to get myself back to the matter at hand. "Twilight... Have you seen your tub lately?"

She raises an eyebrow. "...Not since you and your friends arrived. Why?"

"Ah," I nod my head. "No wonder you didn't know."

"About what, exactly?"

"About..." I cringe. "Er... L-let's just say Reykan and Sienna missed the toilet when they were emptying their stomachs earlier..."

She blinks at me.

I blink back.

She flinches. She then takes a deep breath. "Seri!"

* * *

The bathroom door opens, and the sound of flushing immediately bounces around the room as a white swan exits the bathroom with a beaked smile.

"All clean and sparkly!" Seri chirps. "And 'eewy-smell' free!" She looks at me, then at Twilight and then she chuckles. "Wow, you two. I can't believe the two of you are afraid of cleaning that foul-smelling liquid in the tob."

"Tub," Twilight corrects her. She and I are sitting around a small study table on her room's lower portion.

Seri simply shakes her head in amusement before she wobbles toward the stairs leading to the main room. "Well, I should head back down and see if Reykan's okay."

"All right," Twilight says. "Thanks for the help, Seri."

"No problem, Twilight," Seri replies with a smile. Standing before the stairs, she...lies down on her feathery belly, the upper-half of her body tilting down towards the stairs.

"Uh..." I blink. "What are you do—?"

"Wheeeee~!" she slides down like an excited kid sliding down a water slide. "—eeeeee—aaahhh!"

"What the—gah!" I hear Reykan's yelp just before a crashing noise echoes from down the stairs. "...ow."

Twilight's hoof meets her face as I blink at the stairs. She then shakes her head before she returns her attention on a brownish saddlebag levitating in front of her with her magic. "You should get yourself cleaned up, Jay," she says without looking at me as she uses her magic to tie the straps firmly and securely so the bag won't fall apart, it seems. "The bag will be ready by the time you're done cleaning yourself."

"All right," I say as I stand up on my four hooves. I enter the bathroom and close the door by biting and pulling the handle. With that done, I turn around and brace myself as I slowly approach the tub. Eeeeeeeeeeeeee—phew, it's clean. With a smile, I walk inside the tub, sit down—shivering from the cold surface my bum is sitting on—and pull the curtain with both my front hooves. I look around aaand there's no soap nor a bottle of shampoo. ...I roll my eyes. Of _course_ there wouldn't be any of those in this world. _Le sigh_... Aw well. Now let's see if the shower actually works.

* * *

I push the purple curtains aside before stepping out of the tub. Damn, that was a good shower, albeit a weird one. I can barely scrub myself, especially my back. Not all ponies can be as flexible as Pinkie Pie, I guess. Aw well.

I turn around, facing the dirty water-filled tub. I dip a hoof, try to uncork the tub's plug-thingie and watch as a small whirlpool appears in the water, sucking the water down and down and all the way down.

 _Plop!_

I lean forward and turn on the shower once again with my mouth. It's pretty weird to use my mouth for these kind of stuff, but eh... Also, there's no cold nor hot water available though, but meh, I shouldn't complain. As the shower rains water down the tub, I scrub the tub with my hoof, removing the remaining mud that stubbornly clings on the tub for dear life.

With that done, I wash my hooves before I turn the shower off, smile, turn around and...there's no towel... I forgot to bring a towel. Derp. Does Twilight even have towels?

I sigh and walk towards the door. Biting the handle, I open and slightly push the door open, enough for me to slip my pony muzzle through. "Twilight," I call embarrassingly. "I ah uh, forgot to bring a towel..." Back in my apartment, I don't forget to bring a towel. Ever. It was my bro who kept forgetting to bring one. And now I know how embarrassing it is to forget to bring a towel, not to mention inside someone else's bathroom.

I hear Twilight chuckle. "I don't have any towels here, Jay." A pause. "I use my magic to dry myself and Seri off."

I frown. "Well, too bad for me, right?"

I think she's rolling her eyes. "Just come out so I can cast the spell on you."

Aand I'm actually blushing now. It's a good thing Sienna's not here to see it. "Uh... Twilight? I'm...uh...wet...and naked..."

An awkward pause. Well, it's an awkward one for me.

"Jay..." I hear Twilight say. "We're _all_ naked."

I blink. "...Oh... Derp... Right... Ahhahahah...hah...uh..." I swallow a nervous lump and push the door open with my hoof, and I immediately wince the very moment I see Twilight sitting behind her small table.

Twilight blinks and tilts her head to the side. "Are ponies in Manehattan not comfortable walking out of the bathroom without a towel?"

I look away, crossing both my front and hind hooves as I try to put out the flames on my cheeks. "Just cast the freaking spell already."

"Sheesh, you act just like Rarity," she says as a red field of magic surrounds me. "There. Better?"

I sigh in relief as I feel the warm air drying me off. "Y-yeah..." I say as I give her a nod. I blink, my gaze landing on the brown saddlebag on the table before her. "Speaking of Rarity... Is the bag done?"

"Mhmm," she mhmm's as she grabs the bag with both her hooves. I blink... Wait... She can grab stuff with her hooves? Freaking unicorns and their freaking magic. "I'm not as good as Rarity with these kinds of stuff, but I've read enough books to know how to make one at least!" She smiles as she levitates the bag, opening it as she looks inside. "I think it's sturdy enough as well. I stitched it and double-stitched and cross-stitched and triple-stitched it!"

"I think that's called an overkill stitch, princess," I tease her with a smile.

She rolls her eyes as she places the bag on the table. "Oh, hah hah. Very funny." She frowns. "Get over here already so I can see if it fits you."

"Yes, Miss Scorpion. Just as soon as—" I just noticed that the red field of magic is no longer surrounding me. Blinking, I look at myself and see myself already clean and dry. "Oh." Well, as clean as I can ever get myself clean anyway. But it feels nice to be clean and dry. I step out of the bathroom, push the door close and walk towards Miss Purple's table.

Reaching the table, Miss Purple levitates the bag, stands up on her four hooves and places the saddlebag on my back, the actual bags resting on my sides, her magical aura tickling me a bit. "Hm..." she hm's as she stands beside me, leaning her head towards the straps on my back as she critically analyzes it with a critical eye. "Hmmmmmmm..." She lowers her head, studying the bag or the other set of straps hanging loosely behind the bag.

"Uh... Twilight?" I nervously say as she magically attaches the straps to the other bag over my chest and belly, still leaning down with her hmm-ing. "You...do know I'm a guy, right?"

She lifts her head back up with a proud smile. "It fits perfectly!" She smiles at me. "And I didn't even use a measuring tape, but only with my observation skills!" She quickly sits down and claps her front hooves proudly. "I still got it! Now all I need to do is charge those gems up as you and your friends gather the items!" She blinks. "Oh!" She nods her head. "And of course I'm aware that you're a stallion." She tilts her head to the side. "Why do you ask?"

I stare lamely at her. "... ... ...no reason." I shake my head and look at the bags hanging on my sides. "Well, at least they're not uncomfortable."

Twilight nods her head. "They shouldn't be. I've read about how _not_ to make saddlebags uncomfortable to wear." She smiles. "Still, I'm really proud to know that my first ever saddlebag is okay. It may lack designs and flare and whatever words Rarity can come up with, but at least it's usable, right?"

I shrug. "Eh, I'll be the judge of that. The usability, I mean."

"Actually," she says, standing up. "We can test it downstairs." She then walks toward the stairs leading to the main room, with me following close behind. "Seri has told me that her kind are a friendly bunch, but it's still nice to give them something in exchange for the help they're going to lend you, right?"

Twilight and I now walk down the stairs. "What do you mean?" I ask.

"I'm going to ask you to give them gems in return," she says as we reach the main room.

The main library room still looks the same though. Seri's happy humming echoes from the kitchen. Reykan is licking himself clean by the door and Sienna is sitting around the study table with a very, very wide grin aiming at me.

"How'd it go?" she asks _oh so pleasantly_.

I roll my eyes as I stop following Twilight to glare at the deer. "Sienna, we didn't—you know what? It was so amazing that I could kiss you."

She blinks at me, smile faltering. "That's...good? What's kiss?"

"Eeewww..."

I blink, turn and see Reykan shuddering in disgust as he gives me a disgusted look.

"You and Twilight pony did it? Eewww..." he shivers.

I roll my eyes at him. "Reykan, trust me. If we did it, I'll let you eat me and I won't stop you."

He blinks at me. He smiles. "Really? So you two did it?"

"No."

"Aww..." His ears droop.

I shake my head. "This sex joke is getting tiring and annoying." I give Sienna a glare. "I'd really appreciate it if you two stop doing it."

Sienna rolls her emerald eyes, but didn't say anything.

"Oh, let them have their fun, Jay," Twilight says as she approaches me with two small gems levitating behind her. She smiles at Sienna with a...teasing smile? "Besides, I learned that those who want to feel something are usually the ones who teases or forces others to do it first."

"That's not true!" Sienna glares at her.

"Oooooooh..." Seri's head pokes out from the kitchen entryway, grinning at Sienna. "Sienna's secret has been revealed!"

"It hasn't!" Sienna yells at the swan. "I don't have a secret!"

"What's a secret?" I hear Reykan ask.

"Yes, you do," Seri counters.

"No, I don't!" Sienna counters back.

I roll my eyes and ignore their banter.

"Plant eaters are weird..." I hear Reykan mutter.

Twilight chuckles before she magically opens the saddlebag, places two gems inside and closes the bag again. She smiles. "Well, if the bag can hold two gems, then I'm sure it can hold the items we need for the potion."

I nod my head. Gems weirdly don't weigh much, not to mention one is almost as big as my head. Or Twilight's head. "So... I'll give these gems to the swans as thanks?"

"Mhmm..." Twilight nods her head. "I already charged it with mana while you and your deer friend were exchanging words for words. So the swans will be very thankful for it."

"Oh, they surely will!" Seri chirps from the kitchen. "We don't really have anything to trade with the unicorns for gems, even if we really wanted to get some."

I blink. "That...reminds me..." I turn to Twilight. "Pinkie Pie mentioned that they used to exchange their food for gems." I blink again. "What are the gems for?"

"Protection," Twilight replies.

I blink. I arch an eyebrow. "Protection?"

She nods her head. "Eeyup."

"From what?"

"Predators," Sienna answers, catching my attention. She blinks a curious blink at me. "Wow, Jay. You should know what the gems are for, since you're a pony."

"From another Equestria," Twilight reminds her.

"Eh..." the deer shrugs. "Well, the gems are used for protection against predators. Unicorns charge the gems with magic for non-magical ponies to use so they can fight off predators that enters their pastures."

"Huh..." I hear Reykan mutter. "I should remember that..."

I blink. "So... Basically, you're saying that Pinkie Pie and Applejack are sitting ducks from predators?"

"Oh dear," I hear Twilight say, catching my attention. Her ears droop as she gives me a horrified look. "They don't have any gems in their pasture?"

"Er..." I blink at her. "Who?"

"Pinkie Pie and Applejack," Twilight says, sitting down with a worried look on her face. "They stopped trading gems with unicorns? H-how are they going to defend their pasture then?"

"Huh..." I sit down as well, the saddlebag slipping down slightly. "Hm... Well, Pinkie told me that they stopped trading with the unicorns in Canterlot Mountain for...a few _moons_ now."

She blinks at me.

"What does moons mean, Twilight?"

"Er..." Twilight er's. "Months, Jay. It means months in this world."

I blink. "Oh." That's good to know, I guess. "Anyway, they don't look like they're in fear of predators or whatever. Honestly?" I shrug. "They looked pretty fine to me. Er... Except for that nasty scar Pinkie showed me."

"A scar?" Twilight asks, sounding worried.

I nod my head. "Yeah. She said she got it from the unicorns'...erm...rock cannons."

Miss Purple blinks. Miss Purple's ears droop.

"Er... B-but she doesn't look sad! Or angry!" Uh... Uh... "Uh... B-but, she did say that we shouldn't say the _bleep_ word because the ponies living there gets upset or sad! So uh yeah!" I smile a weird smile.

Twilight blinks at me. "... _Bleep_ word?"

I blink. "Oh!" I chuckle. "Eheheh... T-that's what Pinkie and I agreed to call 'unicorns.' Apparently, the 'unicorn' word is the forbidden word of their pasture."

Twilight blinks at me. She then rolls her eyes with an amused smile. "Pinkie Pie..." she says, shaking her head slightly. "Still the same happy pink pony, no matter which world." She closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, exhales and reopens her eyes, staring at me. "I promise to fix Equestria, fix everything, so I can get my life back, get my family back, and get my friends back." She nods her head.

I nod before I stand on four hooves. "Right." I smile as I turn around, smiling at Sienna and Reykan. "All right. To Swan Lake then."

"Swan Lake?" Reykan tilts his head. "There are many swans there, right?"

Sienna throws a glare at him that lasts for a few seconds before she throws that same glare at me. "If he's coming, then I'm not coming."

My ears droop. Derp. I forgot about this stupid coming-not-coming dilemma of mine.

Reykan blinks his sapphire eyes at Sienna. "Uh... Why not?"

I throw a helpless look at Twilight.

Miss Purple simply shrugs with an apologetic smile.

My drooped ears droops even more... Sigh...


	27. 2 - 07

The gloomy forest's ceiling is full of dark green leaves, leaving little gaps for the morning sun to poke its rays through, beaming at random spots on the foresty floor like little spotlights here and there. I pass through a beam of light, softly hitting my eye as I listen to the melodic chirps and tweets and the occasional rustling noises from scurrying squirrels and other rodents that echo all around, helping me tolerate this rooty, slightly rocky, uneven and littered-with-dead-and-decaying-leaves path that Sienna and I are trekking on. A soft breeze must have passed the treetops, accompanying the current forest music with soft rustling melodies of the leaves that lasted for a few short seconds. The air here is cool, calm and refreshingly fresh, soothing my lungs in each inhale I take.

"Jay..." I hear Sienna call, who's walking a few hooves behind me. "What did you tell him?"

"Hm?" I stop and look back at her. "Tell him?"

She stops walking, her emerald eyes rolling. "The predator, Jay. Who else am I talking about?"

"Ah..." She is a very impatient deer, no? I return my gaze ahead and resume my walk, feeling the saddlebags brushing against my furry sides each step I make and feeling my ears slightly twitch after I hear Sienna's soft hoofsteps behind me. "Reykan... Well..." I see a low-hanging branch up ahead, devoid of leaves.

And then a small, brown squirrel suddenly scurries up the tree from the ground and settles on that branch, scratching or cleaning its cute, little head, it's long and bushy tail curling on its back.

I stop with a blink. Back home, I was never able to make a squirrel go near me, even if I was offering it some nuts. They eat nuts, right? If they don't, then I've been nuts all along. Pun nut intended.

"Hello," I say with a smile. Whew, this little guy's cute, especially it's cute, twitchy nose. "How are you today?"

"Uh..." I hear Sienna say from behind me. "...Are you...talking to a squirrel?"

I blink at that.

The little squirrel looks at us, turns to the tree, scurries to the trunk and quickly climbs up to the green sea above.

Sienna walks beside me, giving me a weird look. "...You know that they can't talk, right? Nor can they understand us?"

"Er..." I feel my ears droop in shame. "I...I knew that! Um..."

She rolls her eyes but didn't say anything, but the look she's giving me tells me that she doesn't believe me.

"Eh heh heh... Um..." I move forward, ducking my head to avoid the branch. "We should move on..."

Hm... I guess it's safe to assume that not all animals here can talk. I wonder if talking and understanding speech is only exclusive to bigger animals like ponies and deer and panthers, while smaller animals like rabbits, squirrels and birds can't.

Huh... That reminds me... I wonder where Fluttershy is in this world. She's the only Mane Six pony I've yet to meet, or see.

"You didn't answer my question, by the way," Sienna suddenly says, breaking my train of thought.

Blinking, I give her a side-way glance. "Oh, uh, sorry... What did you ask again?"

"Reykan," she answers. "You told him to leave, right? I want to know what you told him."

"Oh... That... Well..." I look ahead, thinking of a response. Hm... "...I told him that you don't like him, so he walked away with a broken heart." I throw a pouty look at her.

She rolls her eyes yet again. "Well, at least he's gone."

Actually, no, he's not. I simply told him to stalk us but not jump on us until we reach Swan Lake. If I hear him and see where he's hiding, then his 'training' failed and I won't help him move on to the next step...whatever the next step may be. ...I'll...just come up with something.

...Reykan's actually doing a good job though if even Sienna haven't noticed his presence yet. It has been...what...almost an hour now since we left Twilight's dead tree home. It's...actually kinda scary... I _know_ Reykan's out there, stalking us, and I have no idea where he is.

...Well, at least he's a panther of his word. I told him no biting, plus, I told him to stalk us until we reach Swan Lake, so there's that, I guess...

"So..." I hear Sienna say, "...there's no chance for you and Twilight to be mates, huh?"

I roll my eyes as I slightly shake my head. "No, Sienna. And please drop it already."

She takes a second or two before she replies: "It's just weird that you've spent a lot of time looking for her, but you two won't end up being mates." A pause. "It's just...weird."

I blink. "In...this world, maybe?"

Forest music, and then she mutters: "...If it was me, I'll drag him back..."

I blink, and again. I look at her. "...Him?"

She quickly shakes her head. "It's nothing..."

But I heard it. Who's 'him?' Well, she won't talk about it, so I might as well not ask. I return my attention ahead in time to duck my head from another branch.

"Is it normal in _your_ Equestria?"

"Huh? What is?"

"You, or anyone else in your Equestria, searching for someone, but not ending up getting what you really want."

I slightly shake my head. "Sienna, I don't _want_ Twilight and I to be mates. Nor do I _need_ us to be one." I close my eyes, take a breath, and reopen my eyes. "In fact, I'm not looking for a mate. Period. I just..." I let out a sigh... "...want to go home."

Silence...save for the natural foresty noises all around us.

I take a breath and sigh through my nostrils. "Different ponies and other creatures pursue stuff with different intentions and purposes. Not everyone's the same, you know."

"I suppose..." She pauses. "What is it like?"

I turn my head to give her a side glance. "What do you mean?"

"Your Equestria," she says, looking really curious. "Twilight showed us what your Equestria looks like. And it's... I don't know." She shakes her head. "I don't understand what I saw."

Hm... I return my attention ahead as I think of a response. But...how can one explain civilization to someone who doesn't know what civilization is? ...Derp... "Well, uh... The food's not grass?"

I hear her chuckle.

"And uh... No predators?"

A pause. "Really?"

I shrug. "Well, I don't think so, at least. There are still wild animals in forests running around, but they're not sapient, I think, and ponies and other sapient creatures don't live in forests. So yeah..."

"No predators..." she mutters. "...That sounds like a nice place to live."

I smile a small smile. "Well, you could say tha—"

Rustling noises.

I stop, and so does my deer companion. We turn our heads and look at the direction where that rustling noise is coming from. Our gazes land on that rustling pile of bushes meters away from us. And then something...black, shiny, sphere-like head thing pokes out from the shrubs.

"Uh—"

"Don't move," I hear Sienna hiss. "Don't make a sound either."

"But you're mak—"

"Shh—!"

I shut my mouth as I stare at that weird head, which is slowly looking left and right before it settles to face us, or at least at the direction where Sienna and I are standing. And then it pulls its head further out of the bushes, but instead of a neck, I see it's shiny, black, cylindrical and segmented exo-skeleton body thingie emerging from the bushes, it's many tiny legs click-clacking on the wet forest earth as it crawls its way towards us.

It's a millipede. A very _freakingly big_ millipede! I honestly find millipedes cute, but that's when I'm a tall human and the bugs are small, but damn, this millipede's height is almost at my pony-shoulder-level! Oh yeah, the little-big bug is crawling in between Sienna and I, it's long, shiny body moving, moving, moving, still moving, moving, aaand finally it's shiny bum passes by, the clicking-noise of its many feet hitting the ground fading slowly as it moves away.

I glance at Sienna, but she's still standing still as a rock. I slowly turn my head over my shoulder and see the bug crawling through the bushes again, it's shiny tail disappearing behind the green, disturbed leaves.

"Phew..." Sienna sighs in relief as she relaxes. She turns and looks at the direction where the millipede went. "It didn't see us."

Yeah, about that. "I thought millipedes eat decaying forest litter." I tilt my head to the side as Sienna looks at me. "And why was that thing so freaking big?"

She arches an eyebrow. "Leg Crawlers are very dangerous creatures, Jay." She slightly shakes her head. "They're not fast, but they can kill a deer, and ponies too, I think."

I blink. I...can't understand how a slow-moving, albeit giant, millipede bug thing is dangerous.

She looks at the direction where the millipede made its exit. "They also release this..." she makes a face, "...very nasty smell that can make you dizzy."

Uh huh... "If they're as scary as you say, then why didn't we just run away?" I blink. Oh, hey! That rhymed!

...Okay, paying attention now.

Sienna looks and blinks blankly at me. "I...don't know?" She shakes her head. "Ma and pa and the rest of the deer in our herd told us not to move or make a sound if we see or hear a Leg Crawler."

Ma and pa and a herd, huh? Makes me solidify my theory that she really did left her herd to be more independent. Kinda like Reykan, I guess. But then there's this 'him' business... Sienna left her herd to look for her lover, maybe? Who was exiled or something?

Or maybe I'm overthinking this and maybe I should focus on more important matters.

...Like that giant millipede. "Leg Crawlers, huh?" I ask as I resume walking, Sienna following close behind.

"Yes." A pause. "There are no Leg Crawlers in your Equestria?" she asks.

Hm... Was there ever a giant millipede shown in the show that's half as tall as a regular pony? Hm... I shake my head. The only giant bugs that I know of are from fanfictions. "Eenope. Not that I know of." Wait... I wonder if the Bug Bear counts...

"Sounds like a very peaceful place," Sienna says.

I chuckle. I roll my eyes with an amused smile. "Oh... You could say that."

"How do you mean?"

"Hm..." I hm as I walk over an exposed root. "Well, Equestria still has a few bad things going on, but there are ponies who make an effort to stop it before it can harm anyone else."

"Really?"

"Well..." I give her a side-glance. "...yeah!" I return my attention ahead.

And then there's silence, save for the natural music of the forest and the quiet sounds of our hoofsteps against the forest floor.

Hm... I might as well ask her something. I wasn't able to ask this to Twilight earlier, not with an angry deer that kept on glaring at me at the time. "Hey, Sienna," I call.

"Hm?"

"Uh... How do ponies protect themselves, or their pastures, with gems?"

A pause. "...You really don't know?"

"I wouldn't ask if I—" I bite my lip. "N-no, I don't know..." I glance at her. "And I'm curious."

Sienna shakes her head. "I don't really know how ponies use the gems, but we use them to scare off predators from entering our pasture."

Uh huh... "How?"

"The gems glow when the sun sleeps. It keeps us warm at night, and shelters us from sudden rains and storms."

I blink. How...can gems do those things? Magic?

"We can also fire beams of mana at predators with the gems if the glow isn't enough to scare them off."

Oooooooookay... I glance at the saddlebag on my side. "...So... These here gems are ray guns?"

A pause. "...Ray guns?" She blinks a curious blink at me. "What are those?"

"Er..." I smile a small and awkward smile. "Eh heh heh... Uh... Never you mind about it!"

She arches an eyebrow at me for two or so seconds before she shakes her head. "Well, I think the non-horniecorn ponies _here_ uses the gems the same way we use them."

There's that word again. I nod my head anyway. "All right. Thanks."

Aaand silence. I smile as I let my ears concentrate on the forest music echoing all around us as Sienna and I continue our trek towards the swans.

"What are the deers over there like?"

Aaand I fight the urge to groan... "Hm... Well..." I slightly shake my head. "I'm not really sure. I mean... I don't really follow the comics to know what the deer kind are like there..."

"Oh..." I hear her say. "What's a comics?"

Derp.

* * *

 _Meanwhile..._

 _Reykan blinks slowly, his big and nervous sapphire eyes reflecting the big and shiny black head of the giant millipede...or Leg Crawler as Sienna liked to call it._

 _The Leg Crawler's big, dull and empty black eyes reflected the nervous feline's face a few centimeters in front of it, its large feelers_ feeling _the furry cheeks, head and neck of the panther cub._

 _After a few agonizing seconds that must have felt like hours for the feline, the Leg Crawler pulls its two feelers back, lifts its head and_ crawls _on top of the panther cub—_

"Oof—!"

 _—pushing him down on the moist ground as the giant bug continues moving over him, its many legs thankfully clicking on the ground on Reykan's sides, the bug's rough and vulnerable underbelly brushing against his fur._

 _After a minute or two, the Leg Crawler finally crawls off of him, nonchalantly moving on towards its destination..._ wherever it may be.

"Mrrrf..." _Reykan exhales his nervousness out, calming himself down._ "...Whew..." _He chuckles a quiet and nervous chuckle._ "I almost became worm food. Hah..."

 _After taking a few more seconds to completely calm himself down, Reykan rises on his four paws, stretches, and finally puts on a confident grin, continuing his 'test' as he returns to stalking the two brown figures far ahead who are walking through the gloomy forest._


	28. 2 - 08

"Is that it?" I ask as I stare at the bright edge of the forest up ahead. My ears twitch, still collecting the melodious music of mother nature.

Sienna and I have been walking through this forest for three or so hours now. The gaps between the trees are wider now compared to before, providing us more room to walk on. The forest is brighter now, too, with the sun high up in the sky at this hour, its sunny rays poking through the bigger gaps on the green, leafy ceiling of the forest. The forest floor is still littered with dead and decaying leaves, but the surface is mostly flat now, and has less exposed roots, making our walk easier than before.

The air is still calm, but not as cool as before. And speaking of air, it's a little windy, probably because we're nearing the edge of the forest already.

Sienna quickens her pace until she's walking beside me, her emerald eyes gazing ahead. "...No." She slightly shakes her head. "It's not the lake. Just the end of the forest."

I frown at her. "I...know that." I look ahead as well, my ears twitching to the sounds of faint buzzing noises above. There's probably a beehive up there somewhere. "But is the lake—You know what? Let's just go and see for ourselves."

Sienna nods her head but didn't say anything else. But I know, seconds from now, she'll start talking about stuff again, or maybe not, but I'm quite thankful for it if she does, because her constant talking takes my mind off of walking, and prevents my brain from worrying over stuff...like my mom and bro. I should probably thank her for it, but maybe later.

The brightness of the outside world is uncomfortably bright for my squinting eyes as we near the edge of the forest. A few seconds later, and after a few blinks, my eyes adjusts to the brightness as Sienna and I walk out of the forest and...find ourselves staring at the very wide expanse of rolling grasslands with the occasional trees there and there. There's tall and green grass everywhere, swaying with the calm breeze and creating a majestic rippling effect on the sea of green, piercing my ears with their melodic rustling melody. A large number of small shadows suddenly fly by, and looking up, I see many small birds flying towards a direction. Looking back at the sea of green before us, I see the rolling grasslands continue to expand to the east and west, and a line of thick and dense trees bordering the lands on the very far south. The air here's cool and refreshing, and I can barely feel the warm tickles of the morning sun in the cloudless blue sky.

And despite the beauty of it all, I frown. "...So..." I say as a cool breeze breezes by the two of us. "...There's no lake around here." We're going to walk through this grasslands, and then through that forest, aren't we? Sigh...

"I don't see one either," Sienna says with a nod before she starts walking forward, the tall and green grass hiding her body below her neck-level. "Seri said that the lake is inside a forest, right?" she asks, her voice growing distant as she continues walking, increasing the distance between us. "Well... Maybe it's in that forest over there."

I sigh, my ears drooping.

She stops walking, looks back at me, blinks and raises an eyebrow. "What are you just standing there for?"

...I'm kinda getting tired of walking already... "...Snakes?"

She blinks. "Well... Just try not to step on them."

I frown.

She looks down on her dainty hooves, shrugs, and walks on.

I close my eyes and sigh. I can't believe there's still more ground to...walk on to get to the swans. I sigh once again as I slowly reopen my eyes. Taking a breath, I walk after her through the tall grass, their soft blades brushing against my fur and the saddlebags on my sides.

Well, I should man up and carry on. This is for restoring Equestria, and for me to get back home, after all.

Sienna is a couple of hoofsteps ahead, her brown and alert ears turning around as she bites off the grass and munches on them as she moves.

...Huh. I should probably eat some as well. This is going to be a loooooong walk. I open my mouth, staring at the parting grass as I walk through them, and—

"Oh?" I hear Sienna suddenly say.

Blinking, I close my mouth and see her simply standing there. "What's up?" I ask as I move towards her.

She turns her head to give me a confused look, swallows, and then looks up at the sky.

I roll my eyes.

"Uh, nothing," she says as she looks back at me. "Was something there?" she asks _oh so_ genuinely...

I sigh. "That wasn't what I meant."

She blinks at me before she returns her attention ahead. "Well, there are ponies and deer up ahead."

"Oh?" That's interesting. I quicken my pace and soon enough, I'm standing beside my deer companion.

Not far ahead is a flat field of green land devoid of very tall grasses but with a few trees and a small watering hole. It's kinda like a clearing in a forest, but instead of trees bordering the clearing, it's tall grasses instead, and there's a big number of ponies and horses and deer who are...well...doing normal pony and deer stuff? No, not Ponyville-like normal, but the same normal back in AJ's and Pinkie's pasture. Ponies and horses and deer are grazing, standing, talking and lying around.

...I really should think of a general term for the talking creatures in this world. Hm...

My train of thought stops for a moment when I notice two tall horses noticing us. "Oh, hello there!" one of them greets us as they begin to approach us, walking through the tall grass. Reaching us in a few seconds, the two tall horses are smiling and standing two or so hooves in front of us. "What brings you two to our pasture?" the brown one asks.

Yesh... Another pasture.

"Wow..." I hear Sienna breathe out, her emerald eyes blinking. "I didn't know ponies can be so tall..."

The two horses chuckle. "Well, little doe," says the black horse, "that's because we're not ponies, but rather horses."

"Horses..." Sienna parrots quietly. She then looks at me. "Jay... Are you a pony or a horse?"

I look at her. "...a pony, from the last time I checked."

"I take it that you two are a couple?" one of the horses ask.

Not this again. I close my eyes and let out a sigh... I reopen them and see Sienna glaring at them.

The two tall horses chuckle. "Right. Pardon us for assuming," the black one says.

The brown one shrugs. "Can't blame us though. Here in our little pasture, we have a few pony and deer couples."

I blink. "Oh?"

The duo looks back at their pasture.

I lean aside to get a better look at the pasture behind the two towering horses. And eeyup, now that I'm observing them rather than just merely looking at them, there _are_ some ponies and deer mingling _affectionately_ with each other. Not just antlerless deer though. There are even antlerful deer there. Oh, and another one over there, too, under the shade of a tree.

"...Oh..." I breath out as I take a couple of steps to the side _away_ from Sienna.

She turns her head and arches an eyebrow at me.

The two horses return their gazes at us. The black one blinks and stares curiously at me, probably wondering why I moved away from my companion, while the brown one doesn't seem to notice as he smiles at my deer companion.

"So," says brown horse, "if you two are looking for a place to live peacefully without any of your kind being—"

"Please don't finish that line," I interrupt him with a frown. "We're not a couple. Or mates. Or whatever lovey-dovey words you call it." I slightly shake my head. "We're just heading towards...erm...Swan Lake and—"

"Ah!" black horse suddenly blurts out with a smile. He turns around, facing south. "They're deep inside that forest over there," he says, pointing at the forest in the distance by bobbing his head forward.

"...I figured," I lamely reply.

"They're pretty happy and chatty," brown horse says with a smile and a nod as his black horse friend turns back to us. "So don't be afraid to approach and talk to them! They're really friendly."

Black horse agrees with a nod.

Right. That's good to hear, I guess. And it's safe to assume that these two horses have been there before, or at least heard from others what the swans are like. Can't have a repeat of that encounter of mine with the bleeps. Brr...

Brown horse smiles, takes a breath, opens his mouth, blinks blankly, and then closes his mouth as he stares at Sienna. "Huh..."

"Hm?" black horse turns to his friend. "What's wrong, Brownie?"

Brownie? Really? Seriously? And the black one is—

"Landee, she smells familiar," says Brownie, looking at the black horse.

—not Blackie. I blink. Landee? Is that the black horse's name?

Sienna arches an eyebrow at the two staring horses. "Familiar?" she shakes her head. "But I've never been here before."

Landee leans his head towards her, sniffing her scent— _strange that Sienna doesn't look offended_ —and blinks before he pulls his head back. "Huh... You're right, Brownie." The two horses look at each other. "She smells like—"

"A deer?" I blurt out.

The two horses turn and blink at me, and then they chuckle. "Indeed, little pony," says Landee.

Brownie shakes his head. "Well, your little doe friend smells like our buck friend over there," he says, throwing a look at the pasture.

...That sounded wrong.

Sienna blinks at them.

Landee nods his head. "Yeah. You two probably know each other if your scent is almost identical to his."

Brownie smiles at Sienna. "You know Cosmo?"

Sienna blinks. She blinks again. And again. "...He's here?"

Huh... That's a 'he.' Is that the 'him' she mentioned earlier? I smell a backstory approaching...

"Wuh-oh," Landee says, frowning. "You're not his mate, are you? He—"

"He's my brother," Sienna interrupts him with a glare. "And I've been looking for him for almost two moons now!"

"Oh, phew..." Landee sighs with relief, and so does Brownie. "For a moment there, I thought you're going to fight his pony mate to get him back or something."

I guess it's safe to assume that couples are a thing in this world. Not some...one male and a number of females. What's that called again? Harem? Wait, no, that's an animé genre. Hm... A pack? A herd?

Huh... I wonder how's 'Thems Fighting Herds' is doing.

Anyway, hm... Two moons. A two month-long search, eh? So Sienna recently left her herd then. I found Sienna a few days ago sleeping alone by the stream. Was she resting from her search? So she didn't run away then?

...I can simply go and ask her instead of formulating random stories in my head.

Sienna blinks, her angry features slowly turning to...blankie face. And then her angry features return as she steps aside, walks past the two horses, stops and scans the pasture, probably with angry eyes. Spotting her _prey_ ( _I think_ ), she walks towards the pasture.

I blink, staring at her retreating form.

"Uh..." Brownie mutters, eyeing her warily as she walks out of the tall grasses, marching towards...somewhere. "Should we stop her?"

Landee shrugs. "Nope. They're family, and I smell conflict. We should let them settle it on their own."

Brownie nods his head. "If you say so." He then turns to me. "So..."

I blink at him.

Brownie continues: "You're welcome to stay if you want to wait for your, um, friend to finish talking with Cosmo."

I blink again. "Oh, uh, sure." I nod my head. "Thanks, I guess?"

The two horses smile at me. Turning around, they walk back to their pasture.

I blink. ...I should probably follow them. I mean, it's either follow two friendly horses or follow an angry deer. Hm... If I'm going to be waiting here for a while... "So, uh," I mutter as I follow them. I might as well ask for some info. "You guys know where one can get a red and blue mushroom?" I ask as I exit the tall grasses.

The duo turns around to look at me. Landee's gaze drops on the ground as he brings a large hoof to his chin, while Brownie looks at his friend.

"...Or Poison Joke...plants?" I add.

"Hm..." Landee hums in thought. "I haven't heard any of those plants before." He drops his hoof back on the ground and looks at his friend. "What about you, Brownie?"

Brownie shakes his head before he flashes a small frown at me. "Sorry, pony, but I've never heard any of those plants before, too..."

"Name's Jay," I say with a frown, "and yeah, I didn't think you would, but I figured to ask anyway."

"Well," Landee says, looking around. "Maybe the others might know about those plants." He smiles at me. "These ponies and deer are from many different places, after all. So I bet at least one of them knows where to find this mushroom you're looking for. And plant."

From many different places... Huh... I nod my head, managing to smile a little. "Yeah. That sounds like a good idea."

The two horses nod their heads at me.

"Just try not to cause trouble, okay Jay?" says Brownie.

I arch him an eyebrow. "Uh...sure?"

The two nod their heads at me once again before they look at each other. "We should probably go back to our posts," says Landee.

I blink. Posts?

Brownie nods his head before the two of them walks past me, heading towards the tall grasses. They stop a hoof or two from the grass wall and they then begin talking to each other.

"...Huh." Posts... Are they sentries or something? Now that I think about it, Mister White Horse and a few of his horse buddies were standing around the edge of his pasture home. Was he and his horse friends sentries, too? I might ask Twilight later after Sienna and I collect the ingredients.

Hm... Speaking of Sienna... I turn and see her in the distance, standing under the shade of a tree and in front of two sitting creatures: an antlered deer and a pony. I guess she's not done talking to her brother. Cosmo, was it? I'll leave her be for now to settle whatever it is she wants to settle with him.

I look around and see a...pegasus stallion standing by the watering hole, drinking. Well, since he's the closest being at the moment, and since my throat now reminds me of how thirsty I suddenly am, I walk up to him. His white coat shines under the sun's rays, and his ears and wings twitch a bit as I get closer. He lifts his head, black eyes blinking, his long and bluish mane swaying from the movement, and droplets of water drips down from his wet muzzle.

"Hi," I greet him as I stop by the watering hole with a respectable distance from him.

"Sorry, bud," he said, shaking his head. And then he smiles an apologetic smile my way. "But I want mares as mates."

An eyebrow of mine raises up. "...Ex _cuse_ me?"

He blinks at me. His ears droop. "Oh, uh, sorry..." He awkwardly scratches his neck with a white hoof, smiling sheepishly as if that would fix my frowning face. "I uh...s-saw you talking to Landee and Brownie earlier...so I thought...yeah," he explains lamely, his white, folded wings slightly twitching.

I blink at that. I turn my head, look and stare at the two horses. "...Huh... Really?"

"You didn't know?" I hear him ask.

I throw a frown at him. "I'm not from here."

He chuckles. "Yeah, I figured."

No, you didn't.

He takes a breath and sighs. "Look, uh, earth pony, I uh—"

"Jay."

He nods his head. "Moon Gaze."

...That's a pretty cool name, actually. Wait. No _'Just Jay?'_ or _'Jay what?'_ questions? I can get used to this. And hey, even those two horses didn't ask, either!

He smiles awkwardly once again. "Uh, sorry for assuming."

I shrug. "Eh, simple misunderstanding. Anyway, I wanna ask if—"

"If there are any single females here?" he cuts me off with an eager smile. He nods, and nods, and nods his head. "Yeah. Only a few though. This is a small herd, after all. And hm... I think there's one single female deer here if you like deer. And hm... There's a cow here, too. I wonder where she went off to this time."

I'm frowning at him. "...I'm not looking for a mate," I say flatly. I shift my gaze to the clean and cool-looking water.

"Oh? What are you looking for, then?"

I lean my head towards the water to take a drink. The water's cool as I thought, cooling my throat with each gulp. Satisfying my thirst, I pull my head back up and wipe my wet pony mouth with a hoof. "Well," I say as I turn back to him. "I was hoping if you know where I can find a red and blue mushroom. Oh, and Poison Joke plants."

He blinks his black eyes at me. And then his eyes grow wide in realization. "Ah!" Eeyup, that's a good sign. "You mean Protean Mushrooms?"

I give him a weird look. The what mushroom?

He nods his head with a smile. "Yeah. They're mushrooms that are red during the day and blue during the night, right?"

I don't know, but hey, it fits the description! I smile. I nod.

"Right," Moon Gaze nods his head as well. "I've heard about them when I was still living with the other pegasi over the Storm Forest."

I...arch an eyebrow. The Storm Forest?

"Wow... That was a few moons ago, too." He looks up, staring at the sky as he rubs his chin with a hoof. "Hm... Where did I...oh! I remember now!" He brings his hoof down as he smiles at me. "I remember these dirt ponies talk—" He winces. "S-sorry... I-I didn't mean—"

"It's all right," I cut him off with a shrug. "So... Protean Mushrooms?"

He nods his head. "Yeah. I heard some earth ponies talking about it in that pasture a little north from the Storm Forest."

There's that Storm Forest again. In before foreshadowing...

He chuckles. "R-right... I need to be more specific, huh?"

I guess... "...Eeyup."

He points a hoof at my mouth. "That there!"

I blink, my eyes crossing as I stare at my pony mouth. What? My mouth has mushrooms now?

"I remember that one big red horse with a deep voice saying that word! A lot!"

Oh. That's what he meant.

He blinks, his hoof returning to the ground. "Or was he a pony, but bigger? And I think that was the only word he kept saying, other than the 'nnnope' of his."

"Big Mac? Er... Macintosh?"

He shrugs. "I don't know his name. But he was a big stallion. Red coat. Orange mane and tail. And there was this sexy orange earth pony mare that kept on following him whenever my fellow pegasi and I brought them rain clouds."

I arch an eyebrow. "...That was his best pony sister." ...Wait. Is incest a thing here?

"Oh?" He smiles at me. He blinks, and then his ears and features droop. "Oh... Damn... Well, I guess I'll have to settle with the mares around here." He chuckles nervously. "...I don't think I'll survive a kick from that giant red stallion if I try to court his sister..."

Giving up that quickly without even trying, huh? I can relate. And hm... That's interesting. I thought the races here would rather be around with their own kind? I wonder if this little herd is a group of ponies and other creatures who like other races...

He turns and points at a direction. "You're going to need to head over there if you want to find out more about those mushrooms, Jay." He brings his hoof back down and smiles a small smile at me. "Oh, and Poison Joke are blue flowers, right?"

I nod my head.

"Well, I've seen a lot of blue flower fields inside Storm Forest."

And eeyup, there's the foreshadowing...

"Mind you, I've never seen them up close, nor have I flown inside the forest, because, well, the forest is really creepy."

In before Storm Forest is this Equestria's version of the Everfree Forest.

"Since you don't have wings," Moon Gaze says, "...erm...it might take you a day or two, maybe, to get there from here. But hey!" He smiles widely. "The winds here are really nice, and it's all grass and grass before you reach a small forest. And beyond that forest is the pasture where those earth ponies live! So there's little chance for predators to trouble you, if you're worried about them."

Lucky winged ponies. Never ever gonna worry about predators. Unless they decide to leave their cloud homes and settle down on the ground.

Anyway, damn... So I need to get all the way back to AJ's and Pinkie's pasture just to get some mushrooms? And then head south from there to the Everfree Forest to collect some Poison Joke roots? The thought of going back is pulling my spirits down. Well, maybe there's a slim chance that the swans know a closer location of getting the mushrooms...and some Poison Joke. I mean, it's not like I don't want to go back there. Heck, I'm kinda wondering how AJ and Pinkie are doing, but... This little quest of mine is more important, so I guess I shouldn't delay any further by going back there if I can help it.

Hm... Speaking of avoiding delays, I wonder if I can ask Moon Gaze if he can help me collect those two items if the swans don't know any closer locations of getting them. Then again, why would he help me? We just met, we're not friends, and I don't have anything to give him in exchange for the two plants I need. I can give him one of the two gems Twilight enchanted, in exchange for the Poison Joke, but I still need the mushroom, and since he doesn't really know where to get those—wait.

I hear the pegasus chuckle quietly. "Wow... No offence, but I've never seen an earth pony think that long. You look like you really need the mushroom and the plant, huh?"

I ignore him and return to my train of thought as I move my gaze on the calm and watery surface of the watering hole. Hm... Twilight said that Zecora made that potion. She said that her zebra friend got all the required ingredients inside the Everfree Forest. So if that were the case...

Wait, no... But this is an alternate world. What are the chances that—

I almost forgot. Moon gaze just told me that he saw a large field of blue flowers inside the forest. Probably growing around clearings if he saw them while flying.

"Yeah..." I nod. Welp, I suck in business, but here goes nothing... "How about you fly to the Everf—er, the _Storm Forest_ and get those two plants for me?"

Moon Gaze arches an eyebrow, his smile fading. "Uh... No." He shakes his head. "I can't fly there, pick up flowers, and bring them back to you. I mean..." he shrugs, "...why should I? No offense, of course."

I nod my head. "How about a trade, then?"

His ears perk up, and his black eyes glint in interest. "I'm listening..." Okay, the bait is set. Now to wait for the fish to bite.

I look at the saddlebag on my side and slightly push the cover piece up with my pony mouth, enough to reveal the shiny white gem inside.

"Whoa—!" I hear him whoa. "Is that a gem?" There's the bite. Now to reel in my catch.

I look back at him with a smile. "I can give you this gem, in exchange for those two plants I need."

He shakes his head. "But I don't know where to find Protean Mushrooms." He frowns. "And I doubt the ponies in that pasture will tell me where to get them without giving them something in exchange." Ooh, this fish is a fighter.

"I figured," I say with a nod. "But you can also find the mushrooms in Storm Forest."

He blinks at me. His gaze shifts to my saddlebag, and then shifts back to me. "...Really?" Reeling... It's near the surface now...

I nod my head. "Eeyup."

"How can you be so sure that I can find the mushrooms there? I mean, have you been there before? Wait, no." He shakes his head. "You didn't know where to find either of them, and now you're telling me that the mushrooms can also be found in the same forest where the blue flowers are found?" Damn, this fish doesn't want to give itself up.

I nod lamely. "...Eeyup."

He furrows his brows. "...Are you trying to fool me here? That forest is full of strange things, and no pegasi has ever dared to go there." Gah! I'm losing my grip on my fishing rod!

I sigh an impatient sigh. "...Do you want this gem or not?"

He bites his lower lip, seemingly thinking about the offer more in his head. "I...I do, but..." He sighs, his ears drooping. Aaand with one final pull, the fish flies out of the water! "All right. I'll go and get you those plants." It's a catch, people! It's a big fish! Okay, I'll stop now. He looks up at me. "...But it's kinda an unfair trade, to be honest."

I blink at him. Really? So since I'm asking for two items, I need to give up two gems?

"Unfair for you, really. I mean..." He glances at my saddlebag and then back at me. "A mushroom and a plant is not enough for even half of that gem that you have."

I blink. And again. Oh... That's what he meant. "Well, I don't mind. But anyway, I need as much mushrooms and as much Poison Joke that you can grab. Roots included."

"Roots?" He blinks at me. "Do mushrooms have roots?"

"I...have no idea." I blink. "Oh, by the way. Do _not_ touch the blue flowers. They'll...do funny stuff to you if you do."

He nods his head with a small smile. "All right." He stretches his wings and flaps them a few times. "I'll be back before sunset."

Well, I'm glad he's helping out. It'll make this quest of mine easier. "Another thing."

"Hm?"

"I'm going to the swans, and I don't know how long I'll be back, and—"

"You're going to the swans?" he asks, blinking. "It's pretty far. That's going to take you a while."

Yeah... I'm not looking forward to it, either.

He shrugs. He flaps his wings, lifting himself up.

Damn... Why didn't I turn into a pegasus? Flying would be epic.

"Well," Moon Gaze says, looking down at me. "I'll be here with the mushrooms and plants by the time you get back." He blinks. "...You'll be back with the gem, right?"

I nod my head. "...Unless I get eaten."

He frowns at me. "Well, try not to get eaten then." And with that, he flies off without another word.

I sigh in relief, hearing faint whispers from the residents of this pasture, asking about where their pegasus friend is heading.

...Wait. I chase my gaze after him and see him already far away. Darn... I should have asked him to get some silver ladybug eggshells, too... Seri said that those bugs are pretty rare in the lake.

Sigh... Oh well... At least I don't have to go all the way back to AJ's and Pinkie's pasture.

" **What do you mean you don't want to go back?!** "

I blink. That was Sienna's very loud and very angry voice just now. Is she telepathic?

" **I've been looking for you for two moons and _this_ is what you've been doing all this time?!** "

Or not.

" **Jay!** " Sienna snarls angrily, sending chilly shivers down my spine. I see her angrily marching towards the southern forest in the distance, ignoring her brother's calls who is sitting by the tree. " **We're leaving!** "

Ears drooping, I quietly shuffle after her, ignoring the curious looks the ponies, horses and deer are giving me. I pass by the tree where her brother's sitting, but I keep my gaze ahead.

"Excuse me," I hear a male voice. Stopping, I blink, look and see Sienna's bro frowning a sad frown at me, his antlers looking pretty heavy for his smallish brown head. "Are you perhaps Jay? The one my deer sister called?"

"Er..." I blink, my eyes lingering on his sharp-looking antlers. "...if I say yes, are you gonna hurt me?"

" **Jay!** " Sienna loudly calls. " **Do you want to restore your Equestria or don't you?!** "

I look ahead and see her _very_ angry face poking above the tall grass. I gulp and slowly and quietly walk after her.

"W-wait," her brother calls, making me stop and wince at the same time. Looking back at him, I see his sad and pleading look...with two very small and brownish foals sleeping around his thin hooves. He bites his lower lip, his gaze falling to the sleeping infants. "...t-tell her I'm...sorry." He slowly raises his head, his sad gaze on me. "I am truly, truly sorry for leaving the herd..."

He left their herd? I wonder what's the backstory of these siblings. Blinking, I look behind the tree and see a pale green and whimpering...unicorn mare looking worriedly at the male deer. I blink once more. "Uh," I uh as my gaze returns to the antlered deer. "Sure," I quietly say with a small nod. "I'll tell her."

The deer manages a small smile, and nods his head.

Right, uh, I should shuffle along. I ignore the curious looks the many ponies, horses and deer are still giving me as I power walk towards Sienna, who's impatiently waiting for me in the tall grass.

"Whatever he wanted you to tell me," she quietly yet angrily says as I reach her, her glaring emerald eyes piercing through my pony head. "I don't want to hear it."

I frown, my ears drooping. "...Then I won't." I slightly shake my head. "Look, I don't really know what you two were—"

Sienna's glare softens, if only a little bit. "T-then don't ask." She slightly shakes her head. "I...don't want to talk about it." Her glare returns full force. "And I don't want you to talk to him."

Welp... Backstory denied.

I arch an eyebrow. "You know... You really don't have the right to tell me what to..." I trail off as my arched eyebrow arches even more as I see something...big and bouncy approaching, meters behind Sienna. "...roo?"

She arches an eyebrow. "What?" She turns around with a slight shake of her head. "Let's just go and—huh?"

"G'day, mates!" says a female ( _judging from her voice_ ) and happy looking...kangaroo, hopping in place in front of Sienna. This...kangaroo is taller than the two horses we just met in the pasture behind us. "'ow ya goin?" she asks, her golden orange eyes blinking.

"Uh..." Sienna takes a nervous step back. "W-what are you?"

"She's a—"

"I'm a kangaroo!" says miss kangaroo, her golden brown fur flowing up and down as she hops in place. "Why... You two never seen one before? Hm... Then again, I've never seen you two in these here grasslands before. You two new?" Before any of us can answer, she turns west, extending a hand towards it. "I live over there with the other roos." She turns back to us, still wearing that smile of hers. "But I like to jump around, race around and hop around, like other roos, too!"

I blink. "...riiight."

"Well, gotta go! Nice talking to ya, mates!" She jumps away, her long and mighty brown tail bobbing up and down. "Cheers, ponydoe!"

And then there is silence...save for the quiet rustling noises of the tall grasses dancing with the calm breeze.

"...Swan Lake?"

Sienna nods her head. "Swan Lake."


	29. 2 - 09

Earlier, the sun was already setting by the time we reached the edge of the southern forest. I wanted to call it a day, but Sienna walked on, ignoring me, or maybe she didn't know how tired I was. In any case, I could have just ignored her, too, and slept on the edge of this forest, but then I would be on my lonesome, and I didn't think that was a good idea... _even if Reykan was and still probably is watching us from afar._

I let out a tired groan as I force my tired and aching hooves to move through this dense and dark forest. The gaps between the trees are very narrow, with an occasional pony-tall bush rooted on the said gaps, blocking us from going through, making this tiring journey more annoying than it should be as we try to move around it or look for another path to take. _At least the bushes aren't 'disguised sleeping timberwolves.'_ A sea of thick, dark green leaves up above leaves little to no gaps for the eyes of any earth-bound creatures like myself to see the sleeping sky, making the forest even darker than it probably should. Thankfully, my tired eyes have already adjusted to the darkness, enough for me to see the dark and faint frames of my surroundings.

The loud and monotonous orchestra of the crickets echo very loudly in the forest, almost making it impossible for me to hear my own tired breaths and my own hoofsteps on the forest's floor, not to mention Sienna's, who's three or so hooves ahead of me, who hasn't said a word ever since that weird kangaroo left.

"...We can rest here."

...Never mind. She just said something. I let myself fall sideways, allowing gravity and the ground to embrace me. _Thud!_

She turns around, her blinking emerald eyes barely visible from the darkness. "...You should have told me you were tired."

Yeah, no. I kinda can't, since you looked so annoyed or grumpy, not to mention very quiet. Angry and quiet females are scary creatures from what I've observed back home. I close my eyes and sigh in relief, focusing on the tingling electric-like sensations on my four tired hooves. "...Owie..." I mumble tiredly, my side starting to ache from lying on my gem-in-a-saddlebag. I turn to lie on my chest and belly, sighing through a tired smile on my lips. My ears twitch slightly as I hear Sienna lie down on the ground.

"Good night," she says, her voice still carrying a hint of annoyance.

And then a loud hooting hoot of an owl echoes up above, barely piercing through the loud cricket chirps.

"...Night," I mumble as I allow myself to drown in sleep's embrace.

Here's to hoping that Reykan wouldn't be annoying us while we sleep...

* * *

I close my teary eyes and open my pony mouth wide as I let out a looong yawn. Morning came a little too soon for my liking, and Sienna was and still is looking annoyed, and aside from the 'Let's move' she said as soon as she saw me waking up earlier, she hasn't said a word to me.

With sleepy hooves, I follow Sienna's lead though this gloomy forest. The sky is still waking up from what I can see through the little gaps on the sea of leaves up above, but at least it's not as dark as last night. Rotting leaves, twigs and branches litter the forest floor, with different kinds of small insects moving and flying around. The air is cooler than the previous forest, and carries the many echoing chirping melodies of birds from up above, accompanied by the occasional rustling noises from scampering little rodents.

A horrible squeaking noise erupts in the forest, making me jump. Ignoring the panic tweets and rapid wing beats of the birds up above, I turn and see a struggling and squeaking rat trying to escape the jaws of a brown-scaled snake that is slowly coiling its slender body around its victim.

"...Jay," Sienna calls impatiently.

I frown a sad frown as I feel my ears droop. Turning to my grumpy companion, I see her rolling her eyes before she continues moving, and I follow her after a quick glance at the predator and prey live action scene.

Walking around a tree, I notice how quiet the forest is now, and it's...unsettling.

* * *

The trees are starting to provide wider gaps in between them now, which only means one thing, and that one thing is making me smile, making me feel that all of this walking is going to be worth it.

The lake is up ahead. I can't see it yet, not with all the trees and bushes around, but I know it's up ahead. And I think Sienna thinks the same, too, judging from her calm expression I chance to see each time she turns around a tree or a bush. It's an improvement, which also means she'll be talking again soon.

"I think we're getting close," I hear her say as I walk around this big tree, seeing her standing up ahead, her head and ears turning. "I can hear quiet voices. And that weird noise Seri makes when she's surprised."

Eeyup, talking deer's back. "You mean 'quack'?" I ask as I stand by her, looking around and trying to listen to any voices, but nope, I don't hear any faint voices or anything.

"Over there," Sienna says, walking towards the direction. She then stops and looks at me. "You still have the gems, right?"

I nod my head. "Yeah."

She blinks at me. "...Are you sure?"

I frown at her. "Yes." I turn my head to look at the saddlebag on my side, and push the cover slightly with my pony nose. "I doubt they suddenly grew legs and ran off." Shiny gem number one is still there. I check the other bag on my other side, and eeyup, shiny gem number two's also there.

"That's good," she says with a small smile before moving onward. "I was thinking... Maybe we should let the swans look for the eggshells before we give them the gems."

"Just one gem," I say as I follow her lead.

"Right," she nods her head. "Just one." A pause. "Where do you think we can get the other items?"

I blink. "About that... I asked a pegasus back in that small pasture to get me the other two plants in exchange for one gem."

She's not responding.

I wince. Maybe mentioning that pasture will ruin her mood once again?

"That winged pony knows where to get them?" she suddenly asks in a not-angry tone, making me sigh in relief. She stops and blinks at me. "And only two plants?"

I nod my head. "Yeah. The Protean Mushroom and the Poison Joke."

She blinks once again. "Protean Mushroom?"

"Ah, right. That's the name of the mushroom that turns red during the day and blue during the night."

"Oh," she says, nodding her head. "What about the other one?"

I blink. "The...Poison Joke?" I shrug. "He'll take care of it, too. I bet he's already back in the pasture by now."

She furrows her brows for some strange reason. "I mean the other one, Jay."

"Uh..." I blink in confusion. "The...silver ladybug eggshells?"

She rolls her eyes. "The _other one_. Don't tell me you forgot about the clover that makes sounds."

...

... ...

... ... ...

Hello, hoof. This is face. Face, meet hoof.

She frowns at me. "I can't believe you forgot about that!"

I sigh, my ears drooping in shame. "I...can't believe it, either."

She takes a breath and sighs. "Let's hope that there are sound clovers around the Swan Lake," she grumbles as she continues moving.

Aand I ruined her mood. Joy...

* * *

Minutes later, and after walking around this giant tree, the happy and chatty voices sound clearer to my ears now as I stare at the lake a few meters ahead beyond the obscuring bushes and trees. White, twinkling sunlight stars are dancing along the calm and swan-infested surface of the large lake, bringing a smile to my face.

Sienna and I walk out from the trees, looking around. The lake is pretty large, as well as this clearing that borders the said lake. And swans are everywhere: black and white! They almost look like Seri though. The white ones, I mean. Only difference is that their bills are all orange, some all black, others have both colors but with different patterns. There are also white swans but the colors of their necks and heads are black, too. Some are on the lake and some are on the grassy ground by the lake, and all of them are chatting merrily, their happy voices echoing all around the clearing.

"Well," Sienna says, her emerald eyes swimming through the scene before us. "...they're happy birds."

I nod my head in agreement. "It's better than angry birds, at least."

She looks at me. "What do you mean?"

I shrug. "Eh, don't worry about it—"

"A pony!" a voice shouts above the chatter.

"A doe!"

Blinking, Sienna and I turn our gazes back at the swans.

"A pony!"

"A doe!"

"A pony!"

"A doe!"

All swan eyes are now on the two of us as the swarm of feather dusters happily approaches us, chanting their 'pony' and 'deer' chants along the way.

"...Uh..." Sienna nervously takes a step back, stops, and looks back.

There are happy-looking swans chanting happily behind us. How they got there, I wouldn't know. But they're there. Actually, they're everywhere, already surrounding us.

"Eh heh heh heh...heh..." I awkwardly say as Sienna and I nervously lean against each other, our personal spaces almost completely taken by the swarms of happy swans. "T-they really are a happy and friendly bunch, huh?"

And then they're suddenly quiet, the silence almost feeling too foreign for my abused ears.

"...Uh..." Sienna uhs...

A black swan standing in front of us and in front of the crowd furrows its...uh... It gives us a serious look, as if trying to scan us. "...You two friendly?" she asks, her voice sounding elderly.

"Uh..." I say. "...yes?"

" **FRIENDLY!** "

"Gah—!"

"Eep—!"

Oh my god! My poor, poor ears!

Blinking the stars off of my eyes, I shake my head and see...that all the swans are now on the lake, smiling at us.

"Welcome to our hooome~" a group of swans on the left say...in a melodious tone.

...Are they about to sing?

"Welcome to our hooome~" the swans on the right sings.

...Eeyup, they're about to sing.

"Welcome to our hooome~" the swans on the center sings in a higher pitch.

I...smile. Hey, they sound pretty nice, to be honest.

They all then take deep breaths, silence—

"WELCOME TO OUR HOME DEAR PONY AND DOE HELLO! ~ WELCOME TO OUR HOME WE ARE GLAD TO MEET YOU! ~"

Uh...

A group of swans flies in the air.

"WE ARE AVEEYANS OF WHITE OR BLACK OR BOTH! ~ HAPPY TO HAVE YOU AND THAT IS OUR OATH! ~"

The swans in the air and on the lake are flying and swimming in patterns now, all the while smiling at us.

"WE DON'T HAVE MUCH BUT PLEASE ENJOY YOUR STAY! ~ TELL US WHAT YOU NEED AND WE'LL FIND IT RIGHT AWAY! ~"

A swan's head pop's up in front of me, to my great surprise. "Pom pom POM!"

"WOO HOO!" the swans cheer, swirling in the air and swimming in a circle, their loud and merry voices hurting my ears.

"...Ow..." Sienna mumbles beside me, her head hanging low as she rubs her ear with a hoof.

"So what do you need, pony and doe?" a white swan suddenly asks, suddenly standing in front of us with a wide, beaked smile.

I slightly shake my head. "Well, uh...before that..." I smile a small, awkward and fragile smile. "...nice performance?"

The swan quickly turns her long neck around to look at the others on and above the lake. "They like our song!"

The swans cheer. Weird crowd.

The swan then looks back at me. "We thank you, mister pony."

"Eh, no problem?" I take a breath. I blink. "Wait... What do you mean by 'what do we need?'"

The swan smiles as she nods her head. "It's exactly as it sounds like, mister pony!"

I arch an eyebrow. "How...did you know we need something?"

The swan shrugs. "This here lake is not an ideal place for a pony and a doe couple to live—"

I stifle a groan. Sienna fails to do so.

"—so then why would a pony and a doe come here to our little lake? Why, to conduct a trade, of course!" Miss Swan happily explains, spreading her long and white wings wide. She then pulls her wings back. "So, what do you—"

"Rrraaaawrrr—!"

"Gah—oof!" Something black pounced on me, knocking me to my side—

"R-Reykan?!" Sienna yelps.

"A panther!" the swan shrieks, scrambling away.

"I got you, Jay!" the cub proudly claims, standing proud on my side with a smile. "So! Did I—"

"Panther!"

"PANTHER—!"

" **AAAHHH!** "

" ** _PREDATOR—!_** "

Shrieks and loud flapping wings echo all around as white and black feathers fill my vision—

—and ten seconds later, silence reign in the clearing, devoid of any swans as black and white feathers softly rain down the watery and grassy surfaces of the clearing.

Reykan blinks, his sapphire eyes gazing at the empty lake. "...What was their problem?"

I hear soft hoofsteps, growing fainter and fainter. Blinking, I lift my head and look at where that sound is coming from...or leaving to.

Sienna's marching back towards the trees.

"First, they were singing, and then shout-singing? And then they—whoa—oof!"

I push myself on my four hooves, ignoring Reykan who fell off of me. "Sienna?" I call as I see her turning around a tree. "Hey, Sienna!" I holler, but she's not responding. "Darn it, what has gotten into her all of a sudden?" I mumble as I walk after her in a fast pace.

"Jay?" Reykan calls behind me as he probably gets up on his four paws. "Hey! Where are you going? And did I passed the test?"

"Not now, Rey," I say as I turn around the tree—

—and with a surprised yelp escaping my pony mouth, I bump my nose on Sienna's nose, my surprised look contrasting her angry look. She slowly and angrily moves her head forward, pushing my head back as I helplessly gaze at her furious emerald eyes burning through my head. "Why. Is. Reykan. Here."

That wasn't a question.

"Huh?" Reykan asks, looking at the two of us. "What about me being here?"

She ignored him.

"That was the test, right? Me stalking you two and jumping at you when you reach Swan Lake?" Reykan asks _oh so innocently_. "I mean, sure, I didn't know if that lake over there was Swan Lake, so that's why I took a while to jump at you. Oh, and the swans started singing, too, which surprised me. So...does that little delay of jumping at you guys made me fail the test? Please say I didn't fail..."

Sienna is breathing very angrily, trying to contain her rage as she waits for my reply.

I gulp, smiling a weak and nervous smile at her as I slowly take a few steps back to recover my personal space... _and to stall some time._ Okay... Okay, okay... What to say? What do I say? Uh...

Eye twitching, Sienna snorts angrily, turns around and marches away.

I bite my lower lip as I feel my ears droop.

"Uh..." I hear Reykan say. "Where is she going?"

I take a breath and sigh. "Sienna..." I call as I walk after her. "Please wait."

She stops and violently shakes her head. "No, Jay," she quietly says without looking at me. "I don't know why you want him around." She shakes her head again. "I don't know why you want _him_ to keep on _trying_ to _kill_ you." Slowly, she turns her head, enough to give me a sideway glare. "But I know one thing, and that is to stay away from crazy ponies like yourself."

I slowly take a breath, close my eyes and sigh. "Sienna... It's—"

"If you want to die _that badly,_ Jay," she says, still glaring at me, "then don't drag anyone else with you."

I shake my head. "I don't plan on dying just ye—"

"Then _why_ in deer god are you _still_ dragging _him_ with _**us?!**_ " she snarls, turning to properly glare at me. "With _**you?!**_ " She points an angry hoof at Reykan who's...standing beside me. "He is a predator, Jay! He eats ponies like you and deer like myself! Can't you understand that?! He can **kill** you but you kept on letting him tag along with you! **WHY?!** "

"S-Sienna's scaring me..." Reykan mumbles under his breath as he backs up and hides behind my hooves.

Sienna suddenly throws her angry look at the leafy ceiling above and screams with frustration, echoing through this thick forest.

I flinch, my ears drooping once again.

Her screaming done, Sienna angrily snorts before she turns around and walks away.

I close my eyes, take a slow and deep breath, and let out a sigh... Frowning, I reopen my eyes.

Sienna's gone.

Taking another breath, I sigh as I turn around, walking past the panther cub.

"...Jay?"

I stop.

Reykan shuffles beside me, his sad sapphire eyes blinking at me. "Did...? Is...?" He looks back, frowns, sits down and looks at me again. "...Is it my fault that Sienna left?" he asks in a sad tone.

I sigh.

His ears droop. "I...didn't mean to. I mean..." he hangs his head, staring at the forest floor beneath him. "I... What did I do wrong that made her angry like she did?" He looks back at me. "I know I'm a preydator, but I won't eat her if she doesn't want to." He blinks. "I...don't even have to eat or kill you if you tell me not to."

I sigh once again as I sit down in front of him. I slowly lift a hoof and, ignoring his wincing expression, I gently pat his black-furred head. "I...know, Reykan." Another sigh escapes my mouth. "I know..."

"Was she upset that I kept on trying to kill you?" he asks as I pull my hoof back. Curiosity replaces the sadness in his eyes as he blinks. "Or maybe she's upset that I haven't tried to kill her yet?"

I blink at that. I shake my head. "Don't worry about her, Rey."

"But she left!" he says, frowning. "How could she just...leave you? I thought she wanted to help you and Twilight pony about...something."

Oh, right... Reykan wasn't there during Twilight's explanation. That was my fault. I smile a fragile smile at my panther companion. "Don't worry about it, Rey..."

Silence... Once again, I realize how quiet the forest is.

"Jay?" Reykan suddenly calls, looking at me. "Did you like Sienna?"

I blink at him. I frown at him. "...No."

He blinks at me. "Oh." He nods his head. "Okay."

So...now what? The swans left the lake, Sienna left the party, and Reykan's sitting in front of me, scratching his ear with a hind paw.

"...By the way, Rey," I say quietly, catching his attention. "You...passed the test."

He blinks at me. "Oh. Right..." He smiles. "Awesome! So, what's the next test?"

I take a breath, look at the quiet lake through the tall bushes, and sigh. "...Help me and Twilight restore Equestria."

"...What?"


	30. 2 - 10

After waiting for almost half an hour doing nothing but sitting around and talking about random stuff, Reykan and I finally hear the sounds of many gentle flapping wings behind the thick line of trees that surround the lake. Soon, the forest is once again echoing the happy, chatty voices of the swans as Reykan and I turn around a large tree, and see the swan-infested lake.

"They're pretty...talky, huh?" Reykan points out as we emerge from the trees, approaching the lake.

"Just shut up and let me do the talky—talking."

"Mmmkay..." he replies rather quietly.

I stop and let my eyes swim on the chatty swans on and around the large lake, their movements creating small, gentle ripples on the watery surface, making the reflected twinkling sunlight to twinkle even more.

...I'm kinda not in the mood to appreciate Mother Nature's art at the moment. I take a breath and sigh through my nostrils. Right. Let's get this over with. I take another breath and—

"Panther!"

"PANTHER!"

"AAAAAHHHHHH—!"

—frown as the swans frantically and wildly flap their wings, flying away and showering the area with feathers of black and white.

Silence...

I sigh, trying to quell my annoyance.

...I blink. That's odd... It's quiet. _Too_ quiet, actually. I turn and see Reykan, his gaze on the heavens, his eyes...emotionlessly cold...and not reflecting any sunlight despite the sun already on the zenith...

Those eyes... He had the same cold eyes when he was attacking Seri... I gulp, my ears drooping. "Uh... Rey?"

His ears twitch, and then he blinks, eyeing me with his normal sapphire eyes. "Huh...?" He blinks a curiously blink, looking around. "Hey... Where'd they go?" he asks with a confused frown.

"They, uh, flew away."

He looks at me. "...Really?" His ears droop. "That happened twice now... A-and only when I show up." He sits down and hangs his head, his sad gaze on the grassy ground under his shadow. "...I don't think they like me."

I wonder why.

He slowly looks back at me. "Maybe I shouldn't show myself to them. What do you think, Jay?"

I close my eyes and sigh. I sometimes wonder if Reykan is really hopelessly clueless. "...Why don't you go around the forest and look for a clover that makes sounds if you blow some air on them."

"Oh. Okay." Reykan nods his head, his sad look slowly fading. He then slightly tilts his head to the side. "What's a clover?"

I bite my lip to stifle a sigh.

* * *

Minutes later...

I walk out of the line of trees that border the large lake, and on the said lake, swans of black, white or both colors swim and chat merrily without a care in the world.

Rolling my eyes, I stop by the lake and look around. Hm... Strange that they haven't noticed me yet.

"A pony!"

Never mind.

"A pony!"

"A pony!"

"Pony!"

Not a minute later, the swans surround me, aiming their happy eyes and smiling beaks at me, making me feel a _bit_ uncomfortable. "Uh...hi?"

" **HI!** " they all greet back in unison, making my ears ring. Ow...

"Oh!" a black swan chirps, blinking at me. "Are you the same pony who came here earlier with a deer?"

Murmurs of agreement echo all around as he and his fellow swans turn their small heads left and right, looking around.

"She left," I say flatly. I close my eyes as I take a breath. I then slowly reopen my eyes as I exhale, blink, and see the swans on the lake once again, looking at me. I frown as the left group started to lift their wings. "No singing."

" **Aaawww...** " they all say, hanging their long heads with a sad frown.

"I thought you liked our singing..." one of the swans said as they slowly break their formation, facing one another and engaging themselves in quiet conversation.

I blink. Maybe telling them not to sing hurt their feelings, and now they decided to ignore me?

"Well," a voice says from behind me, making me jump and turn around. "No singing it is then," a female white swan says, smiling at me. "So, mister pony. What do you need?"

I blink. This swan looks like that very same swan that greeted Sienna and I when we first got here. ...Then again, I can barely tell them apart except for their feather colors. "Oh, right..." Damn, can these swans teleport or something? I slightly shake my head. "I'm looking for eggshells."

The swan blinks, her smile fading, and looks down.

There's a white piece of eggshell on the grassy ground between us.

"Er..." I say, looking at her. "I mean, I'm looking for eggshells of silver ladybugs."

"Ahh." She nods her head with a smile. She then slowly turns her head left and right, blinking. "Hm... I don't think I've seen any of them around here lately..."

"Uh huh..."

She chuckles. "I think they're hiding behind leaves, too shy to show themselves to us."

...Uh huh... Sure.

She looks at me as she ruffles her white feathers. "Well, it doesn't hurt to look around, right?"

I nod my head. "I guess so."

She nods her head as well before she waddles past me, heading towards the lake.

I blink, blink again and turn around, looking at the retreating swan who wags her feathery tail excitingly as she swims on the lake's watery surface, joining a conversation with the other swans.

"Uh..." Wait... Did...she just told me to go look for them on my own? She's laughing with her fellow swanmates, so I guess that was really what she meant. I furrow my brows as I walk closer to the lake. Standing on the edge, I clear my throat rather loudly, catching her and a few swans' attention. "Excuse me, Miss Swan," I say as I look at my saddlebag. "But I came here to trade," _not to look around and search for something that I don't even know what that something looks like._ I push the saddle's cover slightly with my pony nose, the sunlight reflecting the shiny gem's surface.

" **A gem!** "

I flinch, pulling my head back as my ringing ears hear the many flapping wings and splashing water noises. And then a fury of excited feathery heads push me back.

"Hey!" I shout, jumping back and glaring at the excited swans swarming in front of me. This is getting ridiculous. "Calm the heck down!"

"Calm down!"

"Calm down!"

"Calming down!"

"Calm down!"

I roll my eyes as the swans pass those words around each other.

Miss White Swan clears her, uh, long throat, walking in front of her avian minions with an excited smile on her beak. "You say you wanted to trade with us, mister pony?"

"Er..." I blink at her. "...yes?"

She and a few swans shake in excitement, their feathers standing. "We're getting a gem!" one of them says happily, and he receives excited cheers.

"A-ahem," Miss Swan says, looking at me. "We haven't traded with anyone in a long, long time! If you can believe them." She ruffles her feathers, her feathery tail wagging. "Oh... I hope we have something that you're looking for—wait!" She rapidly blinks her eyes. "You said you were looking for silver ladybug eggshells, right?"

"Uh—"

"You hear that?!" one swan asks.

"The pony is looking for shinybug eggshells!"

"What, really?!"

And then most of them start to wobble and fly towards a random direction in excitement.

"Look at them go!" Miss Swan says with an amused smile. She turns to me, blinking, her smile faltering. "Is something wrong, mister pony?"

"Erm... Well uh," I look at a direction, staring at a group of swans who are excitingly flying around trees, scanning the leaves. "...They mentioned shinybugs?"

"Ah..." She chuckles. "That's what we swans call the silver ladybirds...bugs...beetles?" She shakes her head with a calm smile. "Other creatures call them differently." She nods her head. "We used to trade the shinybugs with many creatures until...erm..." She looks away, her white cheeks reddening. "...u-until we...tried to eat them..."

I still don't understand how blushes work if we're covered with fur...and feathers. Anyway, I smile a small smile. "Yeah... I've heard."

"But this is the first time a land pony came here looking for shinybugs," she says. "It used to be winged ponies, griffons, giraffes, buffalo and drakes who came here looking for shinybugs."

I blink. Griffons? And drakes? Aren't those, uhm...predators? They traded with big, scary predators, but they're afraid of a small, black-furred feline?

"Uh, mister pony?" Miss Swan calls, looking at me with her beak almost touching my nose. "Are you alright?"

"Er, yeah..." I say as I gently push her back with a hoof. "Also, um... I'm looking for clovers that—"

"The pony's also looking for Melody Clovers!" a swan behind me suddenly shouts, flapping his wings wildly as he waddles away as the other swans cheer while they continue their search.

Melody Clovers. That's...a nice name than 'sound-making clovers,' to be honest.

"I found some!"

"Gah—!" I yelp in surprise.

I turn and see a black swan cradling some...tiny shiny pieces of whatarethosethings with both her wings. Another swan runs and stops beside her, also carrying the same shiny stuff with his wings. And then another. And then another swan brings four-leafed clovers that whistles gently as it sways in the air. And then another one. And another.

One...two...seven... There are ten swans standing before me, each carrying the sound-making Melody Clovers and the shiny pieces of something that I presume are silver ladybug eggshells.

Hm... "Are there any poison joke plants here, too?"

Blank blinks.

"Erm... Protean Mushrooms?"

Another set of blank blinks.

"...Never mind." I stare at the tiny and glittery thingie that is being cradled by one of the smiling swans. "Are those—"

"Shinybug eggshells!" she squawks happily, looking down at them. "They're eeky when they hatch and become worms, but they're really tasty when they become shinybugs."

I didn't answer. Instead, I turn my head towards the saddlebag on my side, bite the cover, and pull, hearing a dull pop sound. Huh... Twilight used magnets to lock the bags? Cool, I guess. I throw the cover up, landing on my back. Now...how in blazes am I going to get this gem out of the bag? My hooves aren't flexible enough...

"Mister pony?" I hear Miss White Swan call. I glance a look and see her frowning a confused frown. "What's wrong?" she asks, seemingly unaware of the glittering eyes of the other swans behind her, who are staring at the shiny gem inside my bag.

"I, uh, can't get the gem out of the bag."

She blinks at me. "...Bag?"

I slightly shake my head. "Never mind. Can you take the gem out for me?"

"Oh! Uh, sure!" She smiles, her smile growing wider as she waddles closer to the gem. Slowly, she lifts her wings, puts them inside the bag, grabs the gem, and slowly pulls the mineral out, her eyes reflecting the gem's shine.

"Woooooo—" the crowd of swans quietly coo.

After blinking at the many swans around me, I turn back, blink once again, and deadpan, the gem not even halfway out of the bag. "...You can hurry, you know." I slightly shake my head. "It's not like it's going to break." _I think._

...I don't think she heard me. She's still pulling the gem in a very, _very_ slow pace. It's...actually slightly amusing. Rolling my eyes, I crouch down, my chest and belly brushing against the grassy ground.

"Oh!" Miss Swan yelps, stumbling back a bit as she embraces the gem on her chest, her large wings completely covering the mineral with white feathers.

I stand back up on all four hooves, looking at her. "Well, there you go." I turn, letting the opened bag to face the swans. I point at the bag by bobbing my head at it. "Just put the eggshells and the clovers inside."

The ten, excited swans shuffle towards me and dump their items inside the opened bag hanging on my side. With that done, I pull the cover down and hear a soft _click_ , the magnet locking the bag, sealing the contents inside.

I take a deep breath and sigh through my nostrils as I smile at Miss Swan, who is now gathering every swan's attention. "Well," I say, making her look up at me. I nod my head. "Thanks for the trade."

She smiles and nods her head. "No. Thank _you_ , mister pony!"

"Mhmm!" the swans bob their heads in agreement.

"Eh..." I shrug. "Well, I'll be on my way now." I wave a hoof goodbye, and they return it with blank blinks. Huh... I guess the gesture hasn't been introduced yet...in this timeline, at least. Oh well... Twilight will fix everything after I give her the items she needs for the potion.

I turn around and walk towards the trees, my ears slightly twitching from the excited voices of the swans behind me. Reaching the trees, I glance back at the lake and blink as Miss Swan swims on the lake, the other swans trailing behind her. She stop, turn around and show the gem at the cooing swans.

She then drops the gem on the lake, my eyebrow raising along the volume of the swans' cheering.

...And then the entire lake glows in white, making me blink in surprise. What's happening?

As if reading my mind, the lake's glow disappears, and then three or so watery orbs floats out of the watery surface, hovering in midair. And as sudden as the orbs appeared, one of them suddenly zooms toward a direction in speeds that might make Rainbow Dash drool.

 ** _Splash!_**

" **Ow!** "

...That was Reykan's voice.

And then the other orb zooms after where the panther cub's voice came from, eliciting another yelp from him as the swans cheer and as the suddenly magical lake creates more floating orbs of doom.

...I turn around, shake my head and walk away from the lake. Nnnope. I don't think my lowly human brain can understand what I just witnessed.


	31. 2 - 11

After following Reykan's painful wails echoing through the forest, and after he was done licking his painful self when I found him hiding inside a tall bush, the two of us head north, towards Twilight's tree home.

The wide gaps between the trees are getting narrower the farther we walk from Swan Lake, making _my_ trek a little difficult, not to mention the slightly slippery worming tree roots that poke out of the earth, ready to make me trip, slip and fall if I'm not careful. Reykan doesn't seem to be having any trouble _at all_ , putting little to no effort in walking through this hazardous terrain. Maybe paws are suited best in forests than hooves? But Sienna didn't have any trouble walking when she was still my party member. But I do have bigger hooves than her. Maybe that's what's making this forest walk of mine difficult?

I shake my head to rid of that train of thought. No use thinking about it anyway. I'll just have to focus on my walking.

Tweets and chirps echo from the forest's ceiling, accompanied by the occasional buzzing noises of tiny flying insects flying by and the rustling noises of leaves up above. Thin lines of sunlight stream down from the tiny gaps on the leafy ceiling, illuminating random spots on the forest floor that is littered with dead and decaying leaves and twigs.

"I can't believe water could be so painful!" Reykan suddenly exclaims, startling me a little. "How are they even throwing water at me, anyway?" he asked, looking at me with a curious frown. "Can they grab water or something?"

"Magic gem."

He blinks. "...Gems can do that, too? Huh..." He looks ahead. "They really _do_ attack preydeytors like me," he says with a frown. "If they don't want me around, they could just say so, instead of..." he shivers. "...t-throwing painful water balls at me..."

I shrug. "I thought you don't mind getting wet?" ...Shut up, brain.

He throws a frown at me. "I don't. But their water balls hurt! Who knew water could hurt?" He shakes his head. "I sure didn't know."

Hm... Reykan is a strange predator. Or maybe all panthers are like this? From what I remember in all those science animal channels I watched before, panthers are elusive, agile and solitary creatures, like leopards. And I think panthers have emerald eyes. Back in my home planet, at least, in the wild where they live.

...I blink. That reminds me... "Hey, Rey."

"Hm?" he looks up at me, ears twitching.

"I wanna ask about your eyes."

"Oh. Okay." He nods. "What about them?" He crosses his eyes. "Is there a bug in there again?"

I blink. "Uh...no?" How am I going to ask this? "Anyway, why do your eyes look...well... _different_...when uh...like Seri, yeah!"

He blinks. "...My eyes look like Seri?"

"Ah, no." I shake my head. "I worded that wrong. Ahem... I mean, why did your eyes look different when we first met Seri?" I blink at him. "And when you saw those swans back at the lake?"

He tilts his head to the side, looking confused. "My eyes looked different?" He frowns. "Are they looking different right now?" he asks, his sapphire blue eyes reflecting light and my faint reflection.

"Well...no."

"Oh." He looks ahead. He then looks back at me. "What about now?"

I frown at him. "No, Rey. It's... Well, do you remember when we first met Seri?"

"She took that cahroot that was inside my ear, right?"

I blink. "...Uh... Before that, Rey."

"Oh. I was about to kill and eat her that time, right?"

I wince. "Er...yeah." I take a breath. "Do you remember me hitting your head—?"

He frowns at me.

"—and telling you not to look Seri like the way you were looking at her?"

"I think so," he replies, still frowning.

"Well," I look ahead. "Your eyes looked really...cold. Killer-like, even."

"Whoa..." Reykan whoa's. "Really? Did they look cool?"

"Er..." I look at him, noticing his big, sparkling and awestruck eyes on me. "...No?"

"Aw..." Reykan's ears droop, the twinkles in his eyes fading.

"But it was scary-looking."

"Oh?" his ears points up again. "Cool! Being scary is good, you know!"

" _Yeah, for predators, maybe._ " I slightly shake my head. Hm... Time for a different approach. "Remember the first time we met?"

"I was dragging you and thought you were dead." He chuckles. "I was really surprised when you suddenly stood back up." He smiles at me. "You really _scared_ me that time, Jay. And I didn't even know that was possible!" His smile immediately turns up-side-down. "Don't tell my siblings I got scared by food, by the way."

"Er... Okay?" I'm still food to him, huh?

"I wouldn't hear the end of it, if we see each other again," he says, frowning as he throws his gaze ahead.

I blink at him. "...again?"

He nods his head. "Yeah. I met Syroc a moon ago while I was following you and Sienna."

Oh?

"I told him to find another prey, because you two were mine," he explains with a smile. "He followed me though, and he kept saying that I couldn't handle taking down two large prey at once. I told him to back off, but he wouldn't. Meh..." He shrugs. "He's probably preying on Sienna now, because I didn't see him when you asked me to look for that...uh...sound clovie plant whistly...thing..."

Reykan's bro is stalking Sienna now, huh? Welp...

"I didn't find that plant though." He shrugs. "Anyway, I don't really mind if Syroc goes after her. I still have you anyway, in case you change your mind," he says, smiling a _benevolent_ smile at me before throwing his gaze ahead. "If not, well, there are still food running around for me to eat."

Eh heheheh... Heh... Um... What were we talking about again? I blink. Oh, right, eyes. "Um... Getting back on topic. Why weren't your eyes different when you were attacking me?"

He takes a moment before answering with a shrug: "I dunno. I can't really tell if my eyes look different or not when I'm hunting or trying to kill food."

Fair enough, I suppose. It's not like one can see their own eyes, anyway. One has to wonder why I even asked him in the first place. And hm... Trying to kill food? "You said you haven't killed a pony before, right?"

"Nope!"

"Hm... Deer?"

"Nope!"

"Swan?"

"Yep!"

I blink. "Wait, what?"

"Huh?" He blinks at me. "What's the matt—oh, swans? Yeah, I killed and ate swans before." He tilts his head. "Why? They're tastier and meatier than rabbits and rats. And bigger, too!" He frowns. "But they have more blood though. It's annoying when they spray their blood on me while I kill them, especially if they take a _looong time_ to die. Sometimes, the blood dries up on my fur and it's really tiring to clean myself up without any watering hole. Oh! And their feathers are annoying, too. I first need to rip their feathers first before I could properly eat them." He shivers. "I really hate it when I choke on their feathers."

Too much info, kiddo. But, hm... So, Reykan's eyes changed when he first met Seri and when he first saw the swans back in the lake... But his eyes didn't turn cold when he first met me, Sienna and Twilight... He hasn't eaten or killed a pony and a deer yet, but already ate swans before... I wonder, once he finally managed to kill a deer or pony, his eyes will change the next time he sees one?

"Oh, hey, look!" Reykan's voice suddenly rings in my ears, snapping me out of my train of thought. He dashes towards a small hollow on the base of a giant tree. "Leg Crawler eggs!" he says before he turns his head to smile at me. "Check it out, Jay!"

"Uh..." Leg Crawler eggs? I warily look around, trying to pick up any rustling noises.

He turns back at the eggs. "I wonder if I can eat them?"

If Sienna's words were to be believed, then— "Maybe we should leave it alone in case Mother Leggy comes back."

He turns his head and blinks his sapphire eyes at me. He shrugs. "Meh..." He walks away from the hollow, no longer blocking my eyes from seeing the black, shiny, large-as-basketballs marble-like spheres stacked on top of each other inside the hollow.

I blink, and shuffle after Reykan's retreating form.

"Hey, that reminds me!" Reykan turns his grinning face to me. "Have I ever told you that one time that my siblings and I played with a Leg Crawler egg?" He blinks, his eyes no longer focusing on me. "...Huh. Syroc ended up eating it, but I didn't ask him if it was tasty or not." He shrugs, looking ahead. "Maybe I should ask him the next time we see each other. Anyway! So, one night, my siblings and I were—"

* * *

I open my mouth wide as I let out a very long yawn. Damn, we've been walking all day and the exit is still a distance away. The sun has probably already hidden itself behind the horizon, making the forest too dark to walk through without stumbling on something. My eyes have already adjusted to the darkness, but it's still pretty difficult to walk around, not to mention that I'm already too tired to move.

Lying on my stomach, I let out a tired sigh as I rest my head on the forest floor, my ears twitching slightly as I hear the continuous and monotonous chirps of crickets echoing all around me. I close my eyes, ready to let sleep take over me.

Reykan's hunting around somewhere. The darkness suits him, being a nocturnal creature and all. Hm... When was the last time Reykan slept, anyway? I doubt he managed to find the time to sleep while he was following Sienna and I while we were still heading towards Swan Lake. But we did sleep during the night. Maybe Reykan slept during that time, too?

Hm... I wonder if Moon Gaze's already back with the plants I need. Er... I mean, the plants that _Twilight_ needs. I sure hope he got the plants. I can't really delay this little journey of mine any longer. And if he's already back in that little pasture of theirs, I wonder if the plants have already withered. I wonder if all of the ingredients will be withered by the time I get back to Twilight. Will she still be able to make a potion with almost dead plant ingredients?

I take a deep breath and sigh through my nostrils.

I wonder what happened to _this_ Equestria. I remember that Season Five finalé where Starlight altered the past and changed the present _completely_. Twilight said... Well, Alter-Twilight said that whoever changed the past _could_ die and the universe will use that pony's 'life energy' to create another timeline to avoid changing the present time. But that didn't happen, in the show at least, and that doesn't make sense if what Alter-Twilight said was true. Then again, I have already told myself countless times not to base everything from the show. _But_ , Real-Twilight was _from_ the show. Her memories, her everything. So maybe I _shouldn't_ rule out the show completely.

So... Maybe Starlight Glimmer's behind all this? She did use Starswirl's spell, altered it a bit to fit her revenge. Even Twilight was amazed at her feat.

Hm... Maybe, just maybe, Starswirl was already aware of the consequences of going back in time and changing the past, so he made his spell to protect the caster from dying? Or maybe it was Starlight who added that little addition in the wizard's spell?

Whatever the case, Starlight surrendered and Equestria's timeline was fixed. Whatever happened to those altered timelines? Did they just vanished in time and space? I wonder if that's even possible.

Hm... If not Starlight, then maybe some other unicorn found the altered spell and used it? That seems possible. I wonder who could have done it, and I wonder if they know what the consequences of their actions are. Starlight, according to the show, wasn't aware of the consequences of her past-altering actions, believing that it'll only make Twilight and her friends' lives a little different or miserable until the alicorn dragged her along to the changed-present.

But Twilight required the spell-scroll thingie to teleport herself to the time where Starlight went. So...maybe the scroll is around Equestria somewhere. Maybe Spike has it and is just waiting for Twilight to find him? Or maybe Spike's out there looking for her right now? Or maybe it's just Spike who's going back in time, trying but failing to stop whoever caused this?

Wait, no... Spike was _with_ Twilight when Starlight cast that spell. And the three were the only ones aware of what was going on. But this time around, maybe no one else was there with the caster, so that means Spike...

Twilight _hatched_ Spike, so if the past really _did_ change all the way back in the past, then there was no chance for Alter-Twilight and Alter-Spike to ever meet in this new timeline, I think.

...Not to mention Twilight not meeting the rest of her friends, minus Rarity.

...Wow, that's kinda sad to think about.

But hm... Before Equestria became like what it is now, Twilight said everything was swallowed by that bright white light. If whoever or whatever did this _did_ use Starswirl's altered spell, then why did Twilight say that the magic was unfamiliar to her? I don't really know how magic works, or if a certain type of magic or spell can be felt familiar when you felt it at least once.

So... If it wasn't Starswirl's altered spell that caused this, then who or what did?

Sigh... Alright, that's enough thinking for now. Isn't that the reason why we're gathering these plant ingredients in the first place; to get our questions answered? I just need to have some faith, let Twilight do her thing and hope she can get some answers.


	32. 2 - 12

Wet, decaying leaves littered the ground of the early morning forest as I march north, my pony ears twitching occasionally as I listen to the birds' chirping melodies.

"...mmmrrrfff..."

...Oh, and Reykan lies asleep on my pony back, _and I am praying to Celestia that he's not drooling._ Fighting the urge to shiver, I march on, ignoring my grumbling stomach that keeps on reminding me that I need to eat, despite my mental protest that I still don't want to eat... _grass._ Not right now, at least.

I slightly shake my head and focus my attention on the narrow, bushy and twisty path ahead. It's still a long way back to Twilight's, but I'll get there, eventually.

* * *

 _Four dainty hooves march out of the tree lines. Squinting her emerald eyes from the rising sun's rays, Sienna stops and looks around the quiet grassland, planning her way to avoid a certain spot on the vast land of tall grasses. Frowning, she decides to walk where her shadow is pointing._

 _Unbeknownst to her, above the ground and hidden under the shadows of leaves and branches, two pairs of golden eyes are watching her in silence. As the deer walk on, the shadowy figure seems to be just content on watching her, even as the distance between them grow._

 _Suddenly, Sienna stops walking, her ears turning. Blinking, she cast a look over her shoulder, her emerald eyes scanning the line of trees bordering the thick forest, but all she see is nothing but the ordinary. Her frown hardening, she whips her gaze back and marches on._

 _Two steps... Four steps... Six steps... Eight—_

 _A quiet and distant squeak reaches her brown ears, making her stop and blink in wonder. And as soon as she heard it, the sound was gone. She turn her curious gaze north, trying to see what it was, but after a few seconds of nothing, she shakes her head and resumes her trot._

* * *

If I am to guess, the sun merely has less than an hour left before it reaches the zenith. I march out of the tree lines, munching on some grass as I stop and stare at the vast grasslands, each stalk swaying with the breeze, occasionally disturbed by a number of racing kangaroos. I let my gaze swim at the scene until I notice a 'clearing' far ahead, the twinkling sunlight reflected on the small watering hole acting like a beacon to guide me where to go.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath, letting the calming air to cool my lungs. Damn, it's really astonishing that I manage to get not one _but two_ items without any major problems, but hey, I'm not complaining. If Lady Luck keeps this up, I might be able to get the other two items and return home in no time!

With a blink, I toss my gaze back and stare at the saddlebags on my sides.

...And then I notice a black, furry lump lying on my back, it's tongue sticking out of its open, sleeping maw.

"...mmm..."

...right, I almost forgot that Reykan's still sleeping on my back.

"...white...fluffy...rabbit...zzz..."

I roll my eyes as he slightly noms my fur in his sleep.

Anyway, I don't think the folks living in that clearing would welcome me with a sleeping panther on my back. As I march onward, breaking through the tall grasses, _and hoping that there won't be any snakes in my path,_ I think of ways to enter that pasture without any problems.

Mission is to get inside, trade with... _what's-his-name_ and shuffle onward to Twilight's tree. Problem is I have a predator on my back. Current location...tall grasses.

...Well, you know what they say; simple problems have simple solutions.

I lean sideways until—

 _ **Thud!**_

—the black, furry lump falls off of my back.

"...mmmrrrfff—ow..." Lying on his back and after he sleepily blinks the stars out of his sapphire blue eyes, Reykan stares up at me. "...Jay?"

"Hm?"

He looks around and then stares back at me. "Did you just dropped me?"

"Nah. You slipped."

"Oh." He rolls on his stomach, stands up on his four paws, stretches and yawns. "My bad then." He then sits down, licks a paw and wipes said paw on his head. "You should have seen how I scared that timberwolf away from you last night, Jay!" he says proudly, walking after me as I continue heading north. "I can't believe I managed to scare it, but I did!" and he finishes it with a big, toothy grin.

I blink at him, my walk slowing somewhat. "...What?" He repeats what he just said, but I zone him out. I...thought I'm a light sleeper. Damn. All of this walking and thinking must have been giving a toll to my pony body if I wasn't able to wake up to two predators wrestling against each other in the dark. But wait... "Why aren't you wounded?" I doubt that Reykan managed to dodge _every_ attack of that cat-twig.

"Huh?" he blinks at me. "Wounded? Me?" He blinks yet again. "Why would I be wounded?" he asks with a confused frown.

I blink in return. "...You said you scared a timberwolf, right?"

He nods his head.

"So...why aren't you hurt?" I shake my head. "Don't tell me you just stared at each other and it just left."

"..." He slightly tilts his head to the side. "How'd you know? Were you awake when it happened?"

... ... ... "... ... ...whatever." I stop and turn to fully face him, him stopping in front of me. "There's a pasture up ahead."

He nods his head. "I know. You and Sienna went there."

"I need to go there again and get something for Twilight." I point a hoof at him, his eyes blinking at it. "I want you to stay here," I point on the ground in between us. "Stay out of sight. Can you do that?"

He shrugs. "I've done it before, so I can do it again." His ears twitch. "I can hunt a few birds while you're in there."

I shake my head. "Whatever. Just stay out of sight, okay?" I didn't wait for his reply. I turn and walk north, staring at the reflected twinkling light through the tall grasses.

It didn't take long until I reach the pasture. Walking out of the tall grass, I blink and look around, expecting a horse or two to approach me.

Sure enough, a tall, brown horse nearby sees and approaches me. "Hi there," he greets me with a small smile. He stops in a respectable distance and blinks. "Oh, I recognize you," he says, his smile growing. "Yes. You're that small pony who came here a few moons ago. But uh..." He blinks yet again. "...I think I remember that there was a deer with you?" He looks behind and around me.

I slightly shake my head. "Eh. She left."

He looks back at me with a frown. "Oh... Well, sorry to hear that."

I arch an eyebrow. I close my eyes, shake my head and shrug. "...Meh. Anyway, I'm looking for...uh..." Damn, I can't remember that pony's name—oh wait, I remember now. "Moon." ...Can't remember the last name though. "He's a white pegasus."

"Moon Gaze?" brown horse asks as another horse walks towards us. He shakes his head with a frown. "Yes, he's...uh... _around_?"

I once again arch an eyebrow.

"Is that pony here looking for Moon?" says yellow horse, stopping beside his friend. He blinks at me. "Oh, I remember you." He nods his head. "Weren't you the pony who was talking to Moon Gaze before he flew off somewhere?"

I nod my head. "Yeah. We agreed to trade."

The two horses frown at me. They both then look at each other, and then return their gazes back to me.

"Er... Right," Yellow Horse says quietly, looking over his shoulder. "He should be...still sitting by the watering hole."

"...Uh huh..." I want to question them further, but I'd rather not waste more time. After all, they already told me where the pegasus is anyway. After saying my thanks, I walk past them and head straight towards the watering hole. I see a bunch of blue flowers by the edge—those are probably the Poison Jokes—but there's no white pegasus around it.

I shuffle to a stop beside the flowers, and this close to them, I notice a bunch of mushrooms lying beside them. Oh, and there's a white rat staring at its reflection on the water. Yes, it's a rat because I don't think mice are that big.

I blink at the flowers. Hm... How am I gonna put these inside the bag, anyway? If only I can use magic, this wouldn't be a prob—say, I think I remember seeing a unicorn around here. Now where is that—

 _ **SQUEAK!**_

I jump back and whip my gaze at where that squeak had come from. The white rat thing is standing on its hind legs, one front paw-thing pointing at me, its red eyes... _glaring_ at me?

" **You!** " it...squeaks?

It...rat...wha? Rats...can speak?

"What did you do to me?!"

... ... ...

It scurries towards me, and I reflexively try to walk back while flailing my hooves to shoo it away. "Oof—!" Unfortunately, I lose my balance and fall on the grassy ground. _And then the rat jumps on top of my muzzle, its red, glaring eyes glaring directly into my own eyes._

It then starts to squeak at me, squeaking angrily at me, each of its squeak carries anger, confusion and more anger. But I understand each squeak perfectly, and as the rat squeaks the seconds by, my brain suddenly comes up with a...weird theory.

"M...Moon Gaze?" I breathe out, blinking at the white rodent on my muzzle.

"No, I'm a perfectly ordinary rat, is what I am!" the white rat exclaims as it leans its white furry head closer, its long, white tail whipping madly behind it. "Yes! I'm Moon Gaze! And I want to know what you did to me!"


	33. 2 - 13

"Look, I really don't know wha—"

"And again, what do you _mean_ you **don't** know what happened to me?!" Moon Gaze the rat squeaks angrily as he carries flowers and mushrooms as many as his tiny little body can, drags them towards me and drops them inside my opened saddlebag where the other two ingredients are stored. "After I fetched you your stupid plants, I woke up the next day— _today_ —as a rat! So don't you _dare_ tell me that I became like this because of a bunch of stupid flowers and mushrooms!" He jumps down and lands on the ground with an angry huff. "I swear to the moon, that forest is cursed, and you made my fly there!"

As he continues his little task, _and his little rants_ , I let out a tired sigh and ignore the looks we've earned after minutes of him yelling at me. Looks like 'an ignorant me' isn't going to work, so let's try 'an honest me.' Applejack, don't let me down.

"Okay, I _miiight_ know why you became—"

"Of course you do," he grumbles, dragging two blue flowers behind him, his tail whipping behind him. "And are you going to help me or not?! It's not easy doing this as a rat, you know!"

I slightly shake my head, ignoring the itchy feeling of my furry tummy against the ground. "No, I can't, else I risk touching the Poison Joke."

"Whatever," he grumbles as he climbs on my saddlebag and throws the two flowers inside. "And why I became a rat?"

"B-because you _probably_ touched the blue petals, even after I warned you not to."

"Pffft," he pffft's, throwing glare at me. "I might try these sharp teeth on you right now if you keep on lying to me, _pony_!"

I counter his glare with my own. "Believe it or not, _ratty_ , the Poison Joke turned you like that. Why do you think I'm _not_ touching it? And why do you think I _warned_ you not to touch the petals before you flew off?"

He angrily grabs another Poison Joke on the ground, glaring at the blue, dry and crinkly petals, and then those glaring red eyes slowly shift to me.

I glare back. "Don't you freaking dare."

"Two mice is better than one, I say," he smirks.

"I doubt I'll turn into a rat."

His smirk grows even wider. "Only one way to find out."

"I thought you're into mares?" I blink. ...I don't know why my mind told me to say that.

He blinks blankly at me before his red little eyes grow in horror. He squeakily snarls as he points the flower at me like a sword. "That is _not_ what I meant, you sick bastard!"

I shake my head. "Look, I'll help you, okay? Just...I need to stay as a pony if you want me to help you."

"And how are you going to do that? With a gem?" He blinks. "Wait." He blinks again. A smirk appears on his rat snout as he throws the flower behind him. "You _owe_ me a gem! Give it!"

"Erm..."

He scurries in all four towards the other saddlebag, climbs and pulls the cover open. He saw me how to open the other bag earlier, so I guess he's a quick-learner, probably even a quick _er_ -learner when he's desperate.

With the cover thrown open, Moon Gaze climbs further up and is now standing in awe on the gem, his red, tiny eyes reflecting the reflected light from the sun up above. "Shiny..." He clears his throat and slumps on the gem. "Oh, shiny gem of magic, grant me my wish and return me to normal!"

I arch an eyebrow at him as he repeats his chant a few more times. Is...that how it's supposed to work? Make up some chant, repeat a few times, and magic happens? Is that how the swans did it back in the lake?

Moon Gaze's impatient grunt breaks me out of my train of thought.

"Guh...!" he stands up and stomps on the gem. "Work! Work! Work, you stupid shiny thing!"

"I don't think it's working..."

"I can _see_ that, _dirtpony_!" he squeaks and stomps the gem a few more times before giving up. He tiredly lay on the gem, breathless. ...And then he sniffs. "Am I... Am I gonna be a mouse forever...?"

"Rat," I correct him. I sigh. "Look. I know somepony who can—"

"Zap the pony."

I blink as the gem glows. "Huh?"

 _ **BZZZT!**_

" **Gah!** " I finally manage to shout—or gasp, to be more specific—after shaking violently and painfully for...I dunno how long I was electrified! Electrocuted! Whatever! I suddenly find myself lying on the watery surface of the watering hole, shivering from the stinging, electric leftover feeling in my entire pony body.

And then a series of squeaky laughter graces my stiff ears.

"Hah—hahahahahahahahah—!" Moon Gaze the rat is on the ground, rolling his ass off.

"Grrrfff..." I shiver as I slowly pull myself up. Oh yeah? Well, two can play that game. With a glare, I say: "Gem, zap the mouse."

"Hah!" he shouts at me. "You traded me that gem, buddy! It's mine and only listens to me now!" And then he returns to laughing.

I blink at that. And again... And again...

Is that how this work? Gems can sense it's owner through trade? That's...

You know what? I'm not gonna bother trying to understand it.

With a grumble, I walk out of the water and try my best to shake myself dry. With that done, I stand and glare at the rat, waiting for his laughter to die down.

And when he finally stops laughing, he wheezes for breath, looks up at me, and chuckles. "Heh... I needed that."

"You're welcome." I roll my eyes as I close the saddlebags on my sides. "You know, I can leave them gem _and you_ behind and be on my way, because _our trade is complete_."

"Oi," he throws a pointed look my way as he stands up on his two hind feet. "You said you know how to fix me, and I want to know how."

"And what if I won't tell you?"

"Wanna have another dance with lightning?"

I feel my ears droop.

He smirks. "Didn't think so. So tell me."

I glare at him. "You turning into a rat is your own fault; not mine."

"Whatever," he says as he scurries to me, climbing his way on my back and sits behind my neck. "Now tell me how," he says behind my ear.

I stop myself from shaking my head. "I don't know how. But I know somepony who knows."

"I'm to guess that pony doesn't live here."

"You're a smart rat. I wished you were smarter to heed my warning when you were still a pegasus."

"Your ear looks chewable from here, you know."

"And I can stomp you into a pancake."

Silence.

I guess bigger creatures can throw the bigger threats here.

"...What's a pancake?"

I groan and walk north, ignoring the looks of the creatures around us. "Never mind. Just be quiet."

"You haven't told me who the pony is that can help me."

I glare ahead as I break through the tall grasses. "I'm going to her. _Now_ can you be quiet?"

"You're gonna bring me to her, huh?" Somehow, I can sense his smirk behind those words. "She must be a pretty smart mare."

I roll my eyes and keep moving.

"Details, pony!" he says squeakily and excitingly, hurting my ears a little. "I wanna know _aaall_ about her."

He's not gonna shut up, is he? I take a breath and sigh. "...She's a unicorn, purple, and lives in a forest."

Silence, and then... "A purple unicorn?" He chuckles. "You're not talking about that crazy Twilight pony, right?"

"Yeeeaaa—" ...huh... I almost forgot about Twilight's reputation in this world. "—aaa-no, of course not."

"Is she your mate?"

Here we go again. "No. Twilight's not my mate."

"I'm not talking about Twilight, dumbbutt."

...Oh. And uh, 'dumbbutt?'

"I'm talking about that purple unicorn that will return my pegasus body back."

"...aaahhh! Right. Eh, uh, still a no on that."

"Hm..." I feel him slowly move and sit on the center part of my back. "...these plants are for her, right?"

"Yeah," I nod my head.

"Huh... Wow." He sounds amazed for some reason. "You're an amazing pony, you know that?"

"...Thanks?" I honestly have no idea why he just...complimented me.

"She must be a pretty mare if you went this far to get all these plants as an offering to be her mate."

This stupid world and its—ugh... I groan and facehoo—"Oof!"

A black blur pounces on me, throwing me off balance. I land on my side where the gem is, hurting me as I hiss in pain.

"Jay!" a small and black feline yells at me as he stands on my other side. "You cannot believe how juicy that brown rabbit was—"

"Aaahhh!" a squeaky yell erupts from behind my skull. "A p-p-p-p-pa—"

"Preydeytor?" Reykan asks, blinking at him.

"...Yeah, that works too," Moon Gaze says. He clears his throat. "Anyway... **Aaahhh!** Preda—!"

I push Reykan off of me for one, before his eyes fully change once again, two, to stop him from paining my other side, and three, just so he can get off of me. With a grunt, I push myself back up and glare at the cub as he shakes his head. "Can you _please_ stop pouncing on me? I'm not Zazu, you know."

"I just thought to practice pouncing on bigger prey," he says with a shrug.

"Well don't."

"Mmmkay."

"Uuuhhh..." I hear Moon Gaze uuuhhh's.

Reykan blinks at the white rat behind me before blinking at me. "...Can I eat the rat, Jay?"

"N—"

"Please don't say no," he adds with a pout.

"—nnnnnnnnnnn—"

"Yes!" Aaand Reykan chases after the panicking white rat.

" **Aaahhh—!** " Moon Gaze yells. "Gem— **aaahhh!** Zap the— **aaahhh!** "

I facehoof as the duo circles around me noisily: Reykan growling excitingly and Moon Gaze trying but failing to say the magic gem words.

"Reykan, stop—"

Moon Gaze, in blind panic, rushes north with a panther cub hot on his tail.

With a sigh, I run after them, breaking through the swaying grass stalks. Seconds later, I break out of the tall grass, stop and see the two running around still.

I frown. "Reykan, you can stop chasing him now—"

"—haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa—!"

Goddammit. Now what—?

A quick brown blur quickly runs up to Reykan and delivers a mighty somersault kick, sending the yelping cub flying in the air.

"—aaayah!" A grinning kangaroo lands on her two large feet and skids to a stop, her orange eyes locked on the black missile she just launched.

I blink.

"Hah! Take that, ya stinkin' meat-eatin' varmint!"

"My savior!" Moon Gaze quickly runs up to her and throws his small self on her tall, mighty kangaroo leg, embracing it.

"Huh?" With a curious blink, Miss Roo looks down on her feet, staring at the rat that latched itself on her. "Are my ears still working right? I thought I just heard this little fella talked just now."

I hear a distant _thud_. " _...ow_."

I take a deep breath and sigh... Well, at least—

" _Birds of prey!_ "

A far-away voice coming from behind me reaches my twitching ears. Stifling a groan, I take another deep breath and exhale as more and more distant voices chant 'birds of prey.'

I open my mouth to ask no one in particular what _else_ is going on, but my voice gets stuck in my throat after I see the tall kangaroo nervously crouching low, her brown ears drooping behind her head. She's shivering, looking frightened, and so is Moon Gaze who quickly climbs up and jumps inside her pouch to hide, slightly poking his head out, looking at the sky.

As the distant voices sound more and more scared, I start to feel scared as well, my ears drooping. "W-what's—?"

"We have to get outta here...!" says Miss Kanga, looking at me. She motions to follow her towards the trees. "We should hide in the forest, quick!" She turns around and quickly hops towards the tree lines.

I run after her, but quickly skid to a stop. "...Darn it, Rey—" I grunt as I turn around, but the words die in my throat as I see many black flapping dots from the south. Pegasus ponies take off from the grassy fields, fleeing in a panic while earth-bound creatures either run towards the trees or hide under the thick grass stalks.

"Pony!" I hear Moon's squeaky shout from behind. "W-what are standing there for?! Get a move on!"

Snapping back, I quickly run towards Reykan's unconscious form a little distance away, ignoring Moon Gaze's squeaks and trying my best not to crash on any fleeing creatures. A kangaroo bursts out of the tall grasses, its mighty legs almost crushing the panther cub.

"Goddammit Reykan!" I hiss as I skid to a stop and bite his tail. I turn around and gallop towards the trees, ignoring the deathly shrieks from behind me. I kick and kick and kick my hooves, pushing myself closer and closer towards the trees as shadows of winged creatures start to fly pass me. "Grr—!" Finally reaching the tree lines, I slow down—"Gah—!"—but hit an exposed root with my hoof, letting go of Reykan's tail and throwing me off balance. "Oof—!"

Rolling to a painful stop, the world spins around slightly as feathery shadows swoop down outside the trees, carrying ponies and deer with their sharp talons. I close my eyes and pant for breath, but the shrieks of predator and prey isn't helping me calm down.

Loud rustling noises echo from above. A broken twig falls on my nose— _ouch_ —forcing me to look up. A griffon is clawing through the thick leaves and branches, its hungry eyes on me.

"...Hi?"

 _ **SQUAAAAWK!**_

It quickens its pace, its lower-half, or behind-half, or whatever is stuck in between branches but it desperately tries to pull itself out of it just to get to me.

Taking this chance, I quickly jump to my hooves, ignoring its squawkings. I run away as far as—"GODDAMMIT REYKAN!"—I stop, turn around and sprint back, my eyes on the black furred piece of shi—

 ** _THUD!_**

And of course the tall and scary brown griffon falls on the ground where I was lying a few seconds ago, a meter or two away from Reykan. Damn it...! I quickly look around to see what I can do.

The catbird quickly gets back on its feet and shakes the dizziness and twigs off. It looks around and quickly locks its eyes on me, a pony who's stupidly just standing around. Flaring its brown, mighty wings, it roars at me and flaps its wings, launching itself at me in great speed.

...And I just drop myself on the ground like a lifeless sack of potatoes and—

 _ **THUD!**_

...Huh... That was a stupid idea, but I can't believe it actually worked!

Crawling away from the tree, I stand up and look over my shoulder.

The griffon is unconsciously attached on the tree, its beak stuck on the trunk.

Right. I don't want to be here when angry catbird wakes up. I turn around and from the distance, I see more griffons catching prey as they dodge rocks thrown at them. Shaking my head, I quickly snatch Reykan up and run deeper into the forest.


	34. 2 - 14

I pant for breath as I tiredly lean on a tree, feeling hot and sweaty all over.

...I blink. Wait. Ponies sweat? Huh... I actually thought they sweat through their nose and tongue like dogs. The more you know.

I close my eyes and just...concentrate on breathing through my open pony mouth.

...Who knew griffons could be so...so... _freaking terrifying_? Swans traded with griffons? Really? For silver ladybugs? Did the 'extinction' of those bugs drove the catbirds to prey on ponies and deer? If that was how griffons work in this world, then I shiver at the thought of dragons.

But, thankfully, I don't have to find that out. I got all the ingredients now. Twilight will brew a potion, figure out what happened in the past, she fixes it, and boom! Equestria's fixed, and I can finally drop the 'I'm a human from another world' revelation to her. Who knows? With her, her friends and the princesses, they can figure out a way to bring me back home. Or maybe Discord can help, too. He can easily open portals to another world, right?

...I wonder how many worlds are out there.

I slowly open my eyes, staring at Reykan's unconscious form lying on the ground in front of me, and noticing the tired smile I have on my muzzle.

Heh... I can finally go back home after all of this. I can hardly believe it! Oh, the explanation I'm going to tell my mom and my bro when I return. They'll...probably think I'm crazy and will throw me in a mental hospital or something.

...I might need to come up with a lie, but eh, I'll figure something out later. Right now, I should focus on getting back to Twilight.

...huh, I just realized how quiet the forest is, aside from the occasional gentle breeze that rustles the leaves.

I take a deep, deep breath and exhale. With a smile and a nod, I bite Reykan's tail—

Bleahk... Now that I'm no longer in danger, my pony tongue is now free to remind me that it doesn't like the taste of dirty fur. I grumble in annoyance... Well, too bad, me! Man up and just go already!

After a little mental scolding to myself, I bite Reykan's tail, lift him up, walk north...

...and hope that I won't end up getting lost.

* * *

"Griffons? Huh..." Reykan says as he limply walks beside me. His ears and head droops. "Aw... I've never seen one before, and I missed my chance..."

"I think you were lucky not to meet them."

"Meh."

Reykan woke up not too long ago and immediately cried how painful his everything was. We took a breather for a couple of minutes before he insisted that he was okay and that the pain had already faded, which was a big, fat lie.

"We can stop and rest if you want, you know," I tell him, walking in a slow pace for his sake.

"I said I'm fine!" Reykan growls at me with piercing blue eyes. He winces. "Ow ow—I'm okay!"

I frown at him. "I hope you realize that you're not fooling me with that."

"I'm a strong panther! A little hurt wouldn't stop me!" he says with a strained smile. "Your kicks were more painful that this. Ow..."

I let out a sigh.

"Say... Why is your... _bahg_ -thing glowing?"

I blink. "Hm?" I stop and look at him.

He stops, sits, wince, and points at my saddlebag with a paw. "That one. It's glowing."

I take a look and eeyup, the bag where the gem is stored is glowing. "Huh... So it is."

I swear, if it zaps me once again I'll—

"It's been glowing for a while," Reykan says before licking a paw.

Huh... I wonder what this could mean.

" _There you are!_ " a familiar squeaky voice echoes from the trees.

Oh. I guess it means that it's 'owner' is close by. I turn to where the voice had come from and see the tall Miss Roo in the distance, approaching us, with Mister Grumpy White Rat on her head.

"I actually thought you were a goner when you went back to get that—"

Both Miss Roo and Mister Rat stop from approaching and talking respectively.

I blink at them. "...Oh hi there." I hear movement behind me. Blinking, I look over my shoulder and see Reykan hiding behind my hind legs.

And then I hear powerful thumps on the ground ahead of me.

"Don't worry your crazy little head, pony!" Miss Roo exclaims, getting ready to...dash or something. "I'm gonna get that bastard off of ya quicker than you can say—" she stops when I suddenly grab the wincing cub with both hooves and drag him in front of me.

"Miss Roo, and Mister Grumpy Rat, this is Reykan. Reykan, meet Miss Roo and Mister Grumpy Rat."

The trio blinks at each other.

Silence.

Moon Gaze breaks the silence with: "...Okay, I give up. What's going on?"

"He's with me," I say quickly.

Miss Roo blinks in confusion. "...You two are mates?"

" **NO!** " Both pony and panther exclaim in unison.

"Eewww Jay!" Reykan scurries away from me, wincing. "We're _not_ mates!"

Ah, headache. How I've missed you. "No, Rey. We're not!" I glare at Miss Tall and Mister Tiny. "Reykan's a friend. That's all there is to it."

"Friends?" Moon Gaze asks. "Pffft! That's the funniest joke I've ever heard. I could have laughed if there wasn't a meat-eater around!" He narrows his tiny red eyes. "Good thing my gem's still with you! We can easily scare that cub away!"

"Huh?" Reykan blinks, turning to me. "'His' gem?"

"Moon Gaze," he slowly say, glaring at him. "Don't you dare—"

"Zap that cub!"

After the words escape his snout—

 ** _BZZZZZZT!_**

—a beam of electric light dances out of the bag and dives towards the confused panther cub in a split of a second.

Reykan didn't even get the chance to shout the pain before he's zapped to a tree, slamming into it. "Oof—!" He drops on a small bush that grew around the tree, creating a rustling noise.

"And while the bastard's out!" Miss Roo rushes towards him. "I'mma break his skull so he wouldn't bother the pony ever again!"

"Goddammit you two!" I shout as I shot myself towards Reykan, but the roo is too damn fast.

Skidding to a stop, she grabs him, slams him down on the ground and quickly jumps up, preparing her two mighty feet to slam them on him.

"Grrr—!" Still running, I jump and tackle her before her feet connects, pushing and slamming her against a tree.

"Oof!" Miss Roo breathes out as the tree shakes, its leaves rustling above us.

"Aaaiiiyyyeee—!" Moon Gaze yelps and falls off of her as I quickly move away from them.

"Guh!" Miss Roo shakes her head and glares at me, countering my own. "What in the stinkin' poophole did ya do **_that_** for?!"

"He's out of his mind!" Moon Gaze shouts as he scurries back to the kangaroo's head.

I stand my ground as Miss Roo turns to properly glare at me. "Damn it you two! Don't hurt him!"

"We kinda already did," Miss Roo counters.

"And why not, _pony_?" Moon Gaze asks, glaring at me. "You risked your life to save him from those damn birds of prey! And now you're trying to stop us from...from..." he trails off, tearing his gaze off of me.

"Killing him?" I finish for him.

He shudders violently. "D-don't say that word," he squeaks quietly.

I raise an eyebrow.

Miss Roo takes a step forward, almost making me jump. "The question remains, pony." She gestures at Reykan behind me. "Why are ya protecting the bastard? He's a meat-eating predator!"

I keep my glare and stance up as I formulate a response. I gather the reasons in my head and prepare to blast them with my reasoning.

...But there's none. I can't even formulate lies, and I'm supposed to be somewhat good at making up lies on the spot!

Sienna asked me the same thing. I never gave her an answer, probably because I never had one. Seri and Twilight didn't really asked me why. At least, I don't remember them asking me why I bring Reykan along. Heck, why did I even chose Reykan over Sienna back in Swan Lake?

"...Ow."

My ears twitch after hearing Reykan's weak voice. I turn around, my glare fading as I see him too weak to even wince as he lie on the ground.

"...I'm...I think...I n-need to rest...ow..."

He closes his weak, blue eyes, and exhale.

...

...

...

He's still breathing, thankfully. Tough dude, this one is.

"Don't tell me you feel sorry for him!" I hear Moon Gaze shouts from behind me.

My eye twitch. With a grunt, I open my saddlebag and push the gem out by pushing the bag against the ground. I kick the gem towards them. "There's your gem. Good bye." I bite the fur behind Rey's neck and walk away.

"What?" Moon Gaze says. "Oi!"

"You can't be serious, pony!" I hear Miss Roo say as I turn around a tree, hopefully blocking them from seeing me, and hopefully they'll leave me alone.

* * *

I groan as my ears twitch to the sounds of bird chirps echoing from above. "...Remind me again _why_ you two are following me."

"I'm starting to think that you're crazier than that Twilight mare!" Moon Gaze exclaims from Miss Roo's head.

As for Miss Roo, she's...walking... _or at least she looks like she's walking,_ on all five, including her tail. Do kangaroos... _walk_ like this? It's weird, but at least it wouldn't... _rock_ Reykan up and down while he's unconscious in her pouch.

"And do I really need to tell it again?" Moon Gaze asks.

"Humor me."

"...what?"

I sigh.

He shakes his tiny head. "I turned into a rat, sheesh. How many times do I have to repeat it?"

Mrrrfff...

"You said you know a mare who can change me back, and you're gonna lead me to her, because me turning into a rat is _your_ fault!"

I'm not gonna enter that argument again.

"Hm..." Miss Roo hm's as she awkwardly walks beside me. "How strange of a pony...who can tame predators and turn others into mice."

"Miss Roo," I say, glancing at her. "I..."

Huh... Did I tame Reykan? Really? Is that why I stood up for him back there?

...No, that is definitely not the reason why. "...am one hundred percent certain that I don't have form-changing powers that can turn stupid pegasus ponies into stupid rats."

"Watch your tongue, pony," Moon Gaze glares at me. "Or you'll be—"

"—dancing with lightning. Whatever," I say as I feel the gem inside my saddlebag. Miss Roo carried it and placed it back inside as soon as they caught up with me.

Speaking of, I hear her chuckle.

I arch an eyebrow at her.

"'Miss Roo'?" She shakes her head in amusement. "Lamest name someroo has ever called me. Call me Xana."

"Jay," I say with a slow nod. Xana? Weird name for a kangaroo. "I'll stick to Miss Roo. It rolls easier on the tongue."

She frowns at me. "I'd rather you don't, Jay."

...Alright.

"Weird that the mare lives in this forest," Moon Gaze says. "Are you sure you know where you're going, Jay?"

I glare at him as I nod my head.

He shrugs. "If you say so."


	35. 2 - 15

"It's really warm in here," Reykan says, his furry head poking out of Xana's pouch thing.

Xana glares down at him. "You'll fly if you'll bite," she warns with piercing orange eyes.

The panther cub whimpers and hides deeper inside.

Moon Gaze snickers, who is sitting on my back. "Heh... I can't believe how fun it is to watch a meat-eater afraid of us! Now I understand why Crazy Jay wants him around."

I roll my eyes and continue walking.

We've been walking for quite a while now. The forest is already darker than a few hours ago, indicating that the sun's probably about to set for the night. I don't remember Sienna and I taking this long to reach the southern edge of the forest from Twilight's. But, if I continue walking straight, we'll eventually reach Twilight's—

"We're lost, aren't we?"

...My ears droop.

Moon Gaze grumbles. "He knows where he's going, he says. Pfft...!"

"Put a sock in it," I mumble as I stop walking.

"I would if I knew what 'sock' means," Moon Gaze replies. "Then again, I probably wouldn't."

I ignore him as I look around.

Miss Roo stands tall beside me and starts looking around as well. "What is this home of your damsel look like, Jay?"

I stifle a groan. "She is not my mate."

Miss Roo chuckles. "Why did ya think I said 'damsel,' eh?"

"I'll check the dictionary later," I reply quietly.

"A what now?" Moon Gaze asks.

"Jay," Reykan voices out. "Where are we going, anyway?"

I turn to him.

His head is poking out, two of his paws gripping the edge of the pouch thingy. "I thought we're heading back to Twil—mrrrf?!" His sapphire eyes cross, his mouth suddenly full of a brown and dirty hoof.

"Don't move too suddenly!" Moon Gaze squeaks as he clings on the saddlebag.

"Fffftooey!" Reykan spits my hoof out and glares at me. "What was that for?"

I lean my head towards him and whisper in his ear: " _Don't mention Twilight's name._ "

He gives me a curious blink as I back away. "...But why?"

I glare at him.

He blinks at me.

Moon Gaze climbs up behind my neck and stands on my head. "What are you two talking about?"

"It'll be dark soon," Xana suddenly says, still looking around. "We're not gonna be safe here when the light's gone."

"Why not?" Reykan asks, looking up at the roo.

I hear Moon Gaze groan, probably rolling his eyes. "So now what? Mister 'I know the way' got us lost!"

I keep my mouth shut. I hate to admit it, but he's right... I got us lost. I was supposed to just head north from that pasture, but I guess the sudden griffon attack pushed me off-track a bit. Should I head east or west? Well, if I head west, I'll eventually reach the edge of the forest and will see Canterlot Mountain in the distance. East then?

An up-side-down white rat head suddenly appears in my eye, its red eyes glaring at me. "Hellooooooooo? Stop ignoring us and move already!"

I reflexively shake my head, hearing Reykan sniffing the air and Moon Gaze's panicked yelping. Tiny paws kick on my head, launching the rat to Xana's arm. He grumbles angrily as he climbs up and sits on the roo's head.

"Let me out," Reykan suddenly says, looking up.

With glaring eyes, Xana cautiously grabs him with her hands, pulls him out and unceremoniously drops him on the ground.

Reykan lands on all four, his face immediately crunching in pain as he lets out a pained hiss.

"Whoops," Xana says, looking away. "Slipped. Sorry."

Moon Gaze snickers.

I glare at the two of them.

Reykan shook his head before he sniffs the air again. The three of us watch him as he slowly turns his head left and right. He turns, sniffs the air again, blinks, sniffs, another blink, and turns to me while pointing with a paw towards the direction where he was facing seconds ago. "She's that way."

He's pointing south-east.

...Oh yeah. It was Reykan who was leading me to Twilight before we met Siri. ...Er, Seri. "You sure?" I ask him.

He nods his head with a smile. "Yeah. It's faint, but I can smell it from here."

I arch an eyebrow. "Smell what?"

"The markings I left around her tree before you and Sienna left."

Er... Cats rub themselves on things they consider their territory, right?

He shrugs. "What? I did it so I'll know where it is if I'm in an unfamiliar place, like where we are right now," he says with a grin.

I shake my head. "Eh... Lead the—you can walk, right?"

He looks down at his paws, looks up at me and shrugs once again. "I think so."

Strong kid. I nod my head. "Lead the way then."

"Mmmkay!" And he limps off, me following close behind. After a couple of steps, I hear Moon Gaze call my name. Reykan and I stop and turn to look at them both. They aren't following us.

Moon Gaze is giving me a serious look. "...Are you seriously going to follow a predator?"

Xana nods her head, the rat almost falling off in the process.

I shrug at them. "It hadn't killed me before."

Miss Roo raises an eyebrow. "What? You followed that bastard's lead before?"

I nod my head. "Reykan led me to her before. Well, kinda."

"Kinda?"

I shake my head. "Not importan—"

"I was leading Jay to Twi—"

I glare at Reykan.

"—iiiiiiiiiiiii—to _her_ before we met a swan who knows _her_ so I continued to lead them to _her_ and because the swan also knows where _she_ lives the swan knew that I wasn't lying and then we met Sienna and the four of us went to _her_ tree!"

Blank stares.

"...Who's Sienna?" Moon gaze asks.

I roll my eyes. "The deer."

"Oh."

"...Right," I say, turning to Reykan. "Lead the way."

Reykan nods his head, turns around and limps forward.

* * *

I blink. "That reminds me..."

"That it's not a good idea to follow a meat-eater leading to your demise?" Xana asks from behind.

"Mmm-hmm," Moon Gaze agrees.

I roll my eyes and refocus my attention on the path ahead with Reykan leading the way. "I can understand why Moon Gaze wants to come along, but what's your reason, Xana?"

A short pause before she answers with: "I came here to flee from the birds of prey, remember?"

Oh, right... I almost forgot about that. "So what's stopping you from returning?"

"I'd rather wait a moon or two here before I return. I kinda don't like the smell of blood."

"Mmmrrrfff..." I hear Moon Gaze moan uncomfortably.

And I hear Xana chuckle. "You're not a fan of the topic, Mounsey?"

...That is a _baaad_ pun.

"But I don't like doing nothing either," she continues as we turn around a tree. "So why not follow you guys around? It'd be fun to kill a panther cub if you want me to."

Reykan stops and shivers.

"Can we _please_ not talk about death?" Moon Gaze squeaks. " _Please_?"

Ears drooping, Reykan quietly continues walking.

"Oh, toughen up, Mounsey."

"I am _not_ a mouse!"

"Yeah," I nod my head in agreement. "He's a rat."

"I'm not a rat either!"

"You sure look like one, Mounsey."

"Grrr!"

* * *

The forest has grown darker as the evening takes over the sky. Eyes adjusting to the darkness, we notice the forest trees has grown distant from each other, giving us more room to walk on, which means that we're getting close to the clearing, I hope.

My ears twitch as I hear faint wing flaps above from flying bats, barely breaking the crickets' orchestra.

"They sure are noisy 'round here," Xana comments from behind. She takes a big breath and exhales with an audible sigh. "Air's colder here, too. You should come out, Mounsey!" She is now weirdly walking beside me, smirking on my saddlebag...or the creature that's inside, at least. "This air's great!"

Moon Gaze pokes his head out from the saddlebag where the gem's stored and glares at her. "Yeah? And then get swept up by bats or owls?" He slips his head back inside. "No thank you!"

"Your loss."

Up ahead, I see our panther cub stop walking. He's staring at the big exposed root a few inches beside him. "...Don't step on that," he says before moving forward again. "I can see the dead trees up ahead, Jay," he adds, looking over his shoulder. "We're getting—" He suddenly stops as I avoid the root he warned me about, his sapphire eyes growing wide in horror. "Don't step on—!"

 _ **KKKKKKRRRRNCH!**_

"Huh?" Xana blinks, looking down at the large root she's standing on. "What in the world was tha—?"

And then the 'root' starts squirming. Clicking noises fill our ears as the bush where the root's poking from is shaking violently.

Clicking noises... Oh...derp... My ears droop.

"Run!" Reykan yells.

"What is it—?"

 _ **SKREEEEEE—!**_

"That sounded like a Leg Crawler!" Moon Gaze shouts from inside the bag.

"A Legga-what now—?" Xana asks as the bush suddenly explodes, the other half of the millipede's large body flying towards her.

I kick her out of the way, the millipede missing its main target and barely hitting my bum. Gulping, I kick my legs, running away from it before the giant black millipede can put its clicking legs on me.

"What in bird shit is that thing—?"

I look over my shoulder to yell at her: "Just run away—!"

 _ **SKREEEEEE—!**_

I gasp. "Why the heck are you chasing **_me?!_** " I yell as I kick my hooves on the ground, the sounds of angry clicking noises following me from behind. _Holy shit can millipedes run so freaking fast!_ "It wasn't me who stepped on you!"

"Stop shouting and just run you stupid pony!" Moon Gaze yells back.

I zigzag around bushes and rocks and trees, the cold night air whistling in my ears. "...Use the gem you useless rat!"

"What gem?!" he shouts back. Seconds later: "...Oh yeah... I _do_ have a gem—"

Something painful stabs my rear hoof, jolting me in surprise. "Gah—!" I stumble and fall, _and something yanks me to a stop_. Clicking noises surround me as _whatever_ that stabbed my hoof pulls out and _stabs_ me yet again! "Augh—!"

"Z-z-z-z-z-za-za-zap the—!"

"Get away from him—!" Xana tries pulling it back by its tail, the clicking noises almost drowning her voice.

I scream in pain as I feel whatever's stabbing my hoof is turning left and right and left and right _and it's freaking painful_!

"Z-zap the Leg Crawler!" I see the bright white light out of the corner of my eye. "...Aw nuts..."

 ** _BZZZT—!_**

My saddlebag lights up, and I swear I can see the rat's skeleton as he gets magically zapped.

A beam of electricity dances out of the bag and zaps the millipede, _zapping my stabbed wound as well_! _Holy freaking hell—_!

I shiver involuntarily, feeling numb all over as I hear the painful screech of the millipede, clicking and rolling on the ground in agony, its sharp fangs or whatever it used to stab me no longer on me.

"G-guh...!" I hear Xana say, who is standing still and shivering.

 _ **SKREEEEEE—!**_

The clicking noises sound angrier than before, getting louder and louder—

"Rrrawrrr—!"

Screeches and scratches fill my ears as I giggle.

...I giggled... And still am...but I don't know why. But...it's funny. It's so funny and I can't stop giggling. What's so funny? I don't even know, but it's so freaking funny.

I giggle and giggle and keep on giggling, hugging myself at how weird things are going on. I giggle at how I just got stabbed. I giggle at how I'm gonna die as worm food. I giggle at how helpless I am, unable to move. I giggle at how stupidly vulnerable Xana is. I giggle at how stupid Moon Gaze looks when unconscious, with his tongue out. I giggle as Reykan tears a few legs out of the millipede, his sapphire blue eyes looking feral and menacing as they should be. I giggle at how scary the two predators look as they fight, the sounds of their battle ringing in my ears.

I watch in glee as Reykan loses his grip on the tall millipede. He roars again and jumps at it, claws and fangs ready. The millipede simply waves its shiny black body sideways, slapping him in midair and throwing him at a tree if the ' _thud_ ' noise is any indication. The millipede then crawls angrily at him, but then Xana holds its tail-rear-end, stopping its advance. The millipede curves its body to bite her, making Miss Roo yelp and letting it go. She jumps back, and quickly jumps forward, kicking the millipede _in the face_!

I cheer and wish I have popcorns as Reykan joins in the action once again, trying to claw his way to the millipede's soft underbelly. The millipede screeches in pain and anger as it tries to shake Reykan off, while Xana, meanwhile, is kicking and punching the rear-end of the worm.

And I watch all of these without any popcorn, and I giggle at my misfortune.

* * *

 _Knock knock knock!_

I hold back a chuckle as I hear hoofsteps from the other side of the wooden door. A purple aura envelops the door, pulling it open inwardly.

A tired-looking purple unicorn mare blinks and smiles at me. "Jay! You're back!" She blinks, her smile fading, eyeing the bodies behind me. "...uh..."

I can barely hold back my chuckle. "Hey Twilight. S-so, _heeheehee_ , a mighty-kicking kangaroo, a pegasus-turned rat, an awesome panther cub and a human-turned earth pony walks inside the library..."

Twilight blinks a slow, confused blink. "Uuuhhh..."

Seri's white head pokes out from the kitchen, blinking.

I giggle before I continue: "...They walk up to the librarian and then—"

" **Aaahhh! It's the mad mare!** " Moon Gaze shrieks.

I turn and giggle at him. "Aw...! You— _heeheehee_ —you ruined the joke!"

I lose my balance and laugh on the ground as panicky squeaks fill my ears.


	36. 2 - 16

_Purple flashes of light washes over the many items in the library. Occasional tired grunts accompany the magical hissing noise emanating from the large, shining and levitating gemstone._

 _A purple unicorn grinds her teeth and clench her eyes shut in concentration, her horn releasing powerful waves of mana towards the floating gem in front of her as sweat streams down her face._

 _"...Guh...!" Twilight squints an eye open, staring at the bright gem. "A-almost...got it...!"_

 _"My..." a voice breaks through the noise. "I've seen the many other gems getting the same shiny treatment, Twilight, but seeing it again with this last one still amazes me like the first!"_

 _"...Th-thanks...I guess...?" the unicorn replies._

 _A white swan chuckles. "You're welcome," she replies with a smile. She turns around and waddles toward the kitchen. "I should go and check the soup. Don't want your 'other half' to get angry for being tired and hungry and have nothing to eat. Especially hungry and have nothing to eat."_

 _"...Nnnggghhh...!" Twilight's ears twitch as flashes of memories from_ her other self's _outburst floods her mind. Her ears droop. "...D-don't remind me..."_

 _"It's a good thing you two share one tired body," Seri said from the kitchen. "Or else she could have magicked me to death." She chuckles merrily, contrasting the unicorn's grimace. "I actually thought she was going to turn into a predator with that look she gave me!"_

 _"...Wouldn't surprise me if that were to happen..." Twilight mutters before she returns her full concentration on her task, the gem's glow intensifying in the process._

* * *

 _In a forest veiled by the night, four dainty hooves walk towards a running stream. Stopping by the edge, brown pointy ears turn left and right, picking up the many sounds of the forest. Squinting emerald eyes scan the surroundings._

 _A bush shakes._

 _Sienna tenses up, ready to flee._

 _Two squirrels emerge from under the bush. One of them is holding a nut and is running away from the other one._

 _Sienna stares at them until the two are out of sight. Her eyes close as a sigh escapes her lips. She reopens her eyes and leans her head down towards the watery surface of the stream, drinking._

 _Her ears twitch to the sound of a shaking branch above her, rustling its many leaves._

 _Sienna immediately looks up._

 _A large bat flies away from the branch and towards the large gaps of leaves._

 _Sienna blinks, staring at the twinkling sky. She is yet to find a safe spot to sleep. Frowning, she looks back down at the stream and resume drinking._

 _Meters away, hidden in the shadows, a pair of orange eyes is watching her._

* * *

 _Purple light slowly fade, returning the library's true colors. The light and hum from the floating gemstone are quieting down as it gently falls down towards the wooden floor._

 _With a tired grunt, Twilight stops the flow of mana on her horn._

 _The gemstone lands gently on the floor with a soft_ thud _._

 _Twilight, however, drops her tired and sweaty self on the floor, panting for breath. "Phew..." As she tries to collect some of her strength, her eyes are on the last gem, staring at the little magical light in the very middle of the translucent mineral. Seconds pass before she tears her gaze from it and settles on the pile of other gemstones a few paces away._

 _A small smile manages to crack on her lips. After days and nights of magic casting, she's finally done 'recharging' the gems. Two items already in her possession, she now only needs the other four Sienna and Jay are gathering._

 _She hopes they'll be back soon._

* * *

 _Brown ears twitch in the darkness, trying to catch any noise from the crickets' choir. Green eyes squinting, Sienna slowly walks through the dark forest, careful not to step or bump on anything._

 _She still hasn't found a safe spot to sleep. The small number of hollows that she found were either too small for her or were already occupied. She stops, sighs and settle down on the ground, as she tried doing a few minutes ago, but a strange sense is—again—telling her to keep moving, bothering her to no end._

 _Something shifts out of the corner of her eye. She lifts and turns her head to look, but all she sees is darkness. She squints her eyes even harder, trying to see if anything's there._

 _A rustling noise behind her._

 _Standing and turning around quickly, her glaring eyes land on a shaking bush. An owl suddenly burst through the shrub, flying towards her._

 _She ducks just before impact. Rolling her eyes, she turns around and decides to continue walking—_

 _ **Thud!**_

 _A bloody owl falls a few meters in front of her, with a few feathers gently raining down towards the dead bird. The smell of blood suddenly fills the cold night air._

 _Holding her breath, Sienna slowly looks up..._

 _...and sees a pair of orange eyes staring back at her._

* * *

 _"Wakey wakey, sleeping beauty."_

 _"Mrrr..."_

 _A swan's head nudges the purple pony's cheek. "Wakey wakey. Hoping to not wake miss angry."_

 _Twilight stirs in her sleep, mouth opening and closing. "Mmmm... F-five more minutes, momma..."_

 _Seri blinks. Seri smiles. "Aww..." She snatches the unicorn's head and hugs it tightly, her tiny white head nuzzling the waking mare's back. "I never realized how cute and wonderful it is to be called 'momma.'"_

 _Twilight awkwardly sits herself up. "S-Seri?" she manages to say, her muzzle being buried in the sea of feathers. "I'm up, I'm up!"_

 _The swan giggles as she lets her go. "Sorry to wake you, my little duckling."_

 _Twilight blinks at that._

 _Seri turns around and waddles back to the kitchen. "Food's almost ready. Hope your sleepy stomach is also a hungry one." She chuckles._

 _Twilight smiles and shakes her head. Seri can be weird at times._

Knock knock knock!

 _Twilight blinks. Looking over her shoulder, she lights up her horn to check who knocked on her door. The glow on her horn fades, as well as any traces of sleep from her as she recognizes who are outside. Well, she doesn't recognize the other two, but it doesn't matter._

 _Walking up to the door, Twilight lights up her horn once again,_ pulling it open, the light form inside the library illuminating the creatures outside her home. Her smile widens upon seeing the brown, smiling stallion.

"Jay! You're back!" Twilight greets him. She then notice how haggard he and his companions all look. She blinks, her smile fading. "...uh..."

Jay barely holds back a chuckle. "Hey Twilight. S-so, _heeheehee_ , a mighty-kicking kangaroo, a pegasus-turned rat, an awesome panther cub and a human-turned earth pony walks inside the library..."

Twilight blinks a slow and confused blink, staring at the stallion's bleeding hind leg. "Uuuhhh..."

Jay giggles once again for some odd reason. "...They walk up to the librarian and then—"

" **Aaahhh!** " a squeaky yell erupts from the kangaroo's head, making Twilight jump. " **It's the mad mare!** "

Jay turns to the yelping kangaroo and looks up, smiling at the panicking white rat who's running over, under and around the kangaroo's head. "Aw...! You— _heeheehee_ —you ruined the joke!" The brown stallion falls on the ground in a heap of laughs and giggles.

Stepping back and throwing curses out of her mouth, the kangaroo tries but fails to stop the rat from running around her shaking head.

Twilight throws a confused look at the cub.

Reykan, who's been staring at the stallion, closes his sapphire eyes and lets out a tired sigh. He reopens them and looks at Twilight, his black ears twitching. "Jay got bitten by a Leg Crawler."

Twilight blinks at him, and then at Jay. "Ahh. Well, that explains it."

Reykan blinks, tilting his head. "Explains what?"

"Get off of me, darn it!" the kangaroo yells. She finally catches the panicking rat and throws him away with a growl. "That worm-a-thing gave me enough scratches, thank ya very much!"

"You'll never take me alive!" the white rat yells as he scampers to the woods, making Jay laugh even more.

A hoot breaks through the nightly orchestra.

A white streak suddenly zooms to the kangaroo. The rat clings to her mighty leg, his body shaking all over. "W-what have I put myself into?!"

"Calm down, darn rat, or I'll send ya flying far, far up that the bats and owls will race towards ya!" She turns to Twilight and offers her an apologetic smile. "Apologies, miss, for barging into your home like this."

"Whoa!" Jay, his back lying down on the ground, suddenly gasps, staring at the kangaroo with widening eyes. He then points a hoof at her. "Xana has manners!"

The kangaroo raises an eyebrow at him.

The stallion returns to his laughing fit.

"Er..." Twilight's ears droop as she flashes the kangaroo an awkward smile. "It's fine. Come on in." Her gaze then falls on Jay, who is now wheezing for breath. "We should fix him up before the poison..." She bites her lip. "...before he gets worse."

The kangaroo's raised eyebrow arches even more. "...There's a worse version of this laughing idiot?"

"Hopefully it wouldn't come to that," Twilight replies. She gestures for them to enter the library. "Come inside."

"No!" the white rat squeaks from inside the kangaroo's pouch. "We're gonna die! She's gonna kill us."

"Nah," Reykan offers. "But she shoots magic beams that will hurt you, if what Jay said is true."

"Pew pew pew!" Jay adds.

Twilight winces.

"You really wanna see a race between a bat and an owl, huh?" the kangaroo grumbles.

The white rat squeaks and sinks down.

"Didn't think so," the kangaroo smirks. "'Sides, this here place is surprisingly warmer than outside," she says as she enters the tree home, ignoring the hyperventilating rat in her pouch.

"Squeee...!" Jay squeees as Reykan drags him inside by his tail. "I'm gonna die because a worm bit me." He chuckles. "Write that on my tombstone, ya hear? I wanna give my mom and bro a giggle when they read it every time they visit my six feet under the ground self." He laughs. "Oh! Oh! Reykan!"

"Mrrrf?" the cub replies through a mouthful of pony tail.

"This reminds me of the night you were dragging me from Canterlot Mountain because you thought I was dead! HAH! Remember that?"

Reykan rolls his sapphire blue eyes, spits the tail hairs out of his jaw, and ignores the tempting smell of blood from the giggling pony's hind leg as he walks away from him.

Seeing everyone already inside, Twilight magics the door close, eliciting a squeak from the kangaroo's pouch. "I'll take it from here," she says as she levitates Jay and sits him down on a stool.

"Twilight," Seri calls, who has been quietly observing the goings on from the kitchen.

"Hm?" she responds as she magically pulls bandages from the kitchen, flying over the swan's head.

"Whoa!" the kangaroo suddenly gasps, staring at Seri.

"What?!" a white rat's head pokes out of her pouch. "What?! Is she gonna kill us?!"

"A swan!"

The rat blinks.

"A swan!" Jay parrots merrily.

The kangaroo's smile vanishes as she looks at the stallion. She scratches her head. "Poor idiot, already losing his mind." She then throws a glare at the rat. "And calm down, ya jumpy rat. Noroo's getting killed."

Seri blinks at the creatures inside the library's main room. She frowns. "Aw... Does this mean I don't get to eat so many leftover soup?"

The kangaroo blinks at her. "Soup?"

The white rat suddenly sniffs the air, and sniffs some more. "Say..." the rat begins, momentarily forgetting his fear of a certain purple unicorn. "...what's that smell?"

Curiously, the kangaroo sniffs the air as well. Despite her tired body, she manages to crack a wide, wide smile. "Stars above, that smells heavenly!"

"It's plant-eater soup," Reykan answers as he sits under the stairs. He starts licking a paw, rubs said paw on his head, and repeats the process.

"Soup..." the kangaroo makes a face, trying to understand what the word mean.

Jay giggles. "No, no! It's a stomach pain for Reykan!"

The cub pauses his grooming to roll his eyes.

"Seri," Twilight calls, ushering Jay to stop moving too much. "Get the jar of antidote for leg crawler poison bites." She can simply use her magic to get it, but she forgot where she placed it.

The swan blinks blankly at her.

Twilight looks at her, blinks, and rolls her eyes. "...The green, foul-smelling juice thing."

"Oh! The stinkiest one!" Seri slips back into the kitchen. "Coming right up!"

"I prefer this good-smelling one," the rat comments.

"They're not for you," Twilight smiles at him, mentally storing the question of how a rat can talk for later use. "They're for Jay here, to remove the poison inside his body."

The said stallion giggles. "H-hey, Twilight," he calls, catching the mare's attention. "Is it weird that the leg the worm bit is the same leg that you shot me with your hyper beam?"

Both rat and kangaroo blink at that.

Twilight's ears droop.

Jay giggles again. "Oh, and Twilight... D-did you know that I'm actually a human?"

"No Jay," Twilight shakes her head as Seri approaches her, a jar with a sloshing green liquid inside. "I don't. You can tell me all about it later once you're okay."

"Once I'm okay? But I am okay!" he beams. "Never been better! Anyway, will you believe me if I tell you that I'm actually a human from another wooooooorld, turned into this brown stallion?"

Twilight shakes her head as she opens the jar with her magic. "I don't even know what a _'hue man'_ is." She levitates the opened jar to the stallion's muzzle. "Now, open wide, Jay. It may taste unpleasant at first—"

The smell hits Jay's nostrils like a ramming ram. His eyes cross, and he immediately swats the jar away, but Twilight manages to pull it out of his waving hooves before he hits it. "Bleahk!" He makes a face. "Smelled like poop. Worse even! It even looks like—!"

A blob of the liquid antidote forces its way inside his opened muzzle. Purple aura shuts the struggling stallion's mouth shut and lifting his head up, forcing him to swallow.

Twilight smiles an apologetic smile as Jay flails his hooves wildly. "S-sorry... Had to make you drink it quickly before you, um, before the poison takes its full effect on you." She puts the lid back on the jar and gives it to Seri. She lets him go after the stallion swallowed the cure.

Jay winces, opening and closing his muzzle. He shudders. "Ugh... That was horrible."

And then he instantly passes out, his limp body falling off of the stool, a thread of drool already streaming down from his open muzzle.

Twilight sighs in relief.

"...Is he dead?" a squeaky voice asks.

Twilight's ears twitch to the sound of snoring. Turning, she sees Reykan fast asleep under the stairs.

The kangaroo walks toward the unconscious stallion and pokes him, and pokes him again. "...Nah. The idiot's alive." She stands up tall and smiles at the mare. "Thank you for shutting him up."

Twilight blinks at her. "Oh...uh..." She smiles a small and weird smile. "...you're welcome?"

"So can we eat yet?" the rat asks.

Twilight blinks at him. "In a minute."

The rats blink back. "...what's a minute?"

"Moment," Twilight quickly says as Seri emerges from the kitchen, carrying bowls and spoons with her wings. "I meant to say 'moment.'" She blinks. "...I thought you were afraid of me."

The rat opens his mouth to reply—

"Terrified, love, is more like it," the kangaroo says, ignoring the rat's glare.

The rat grunts. "I'll go 'scared' after I eat," he grumbles as Seri sets the bowls on the circular table.

"Weird place ya got here, love," the kangaroo comments, looking around.

"It's called a library," Twilight replies. "I'm sorry about Jay. He's usually not so...giddy."

The kangaroo smiles at her. "Worry none of it, love. I think that's what happens to whoever gets bitten by this 'Leg Crawling' thing."

"Leg Crawler," the rat corrects her.

The kangaroo shrugs. "Same thing."

"No they're not."

The kangaroo ignores him, facing Twilight instead. "So you're this damsel that can turn this little mouse into a pegasus, huh?" she says as Seri waddles back to the kitchen

Twilight blinks. "...huh?"

"Name's Xana," the kangaroo says as she grabs the rat in her pouch.

"Eep!" the rat squeaks as Xana shows him to the mare.

"And this little guy's Moon Gaze," the kangaroo says as Seri waddles out of the kitchen, carrying a steaming pot of soup with her gloved wings. "Says he's a pegasus before Jay over there turned him into a mouse."

"...Rat," Jay mumbles in his sleep.

"Aw..." Seri chimes in as she places the pot on the middle of the table, filling the air with a delicious aroma. "He looks so cute!"

"Everything is cute for you, Seri," Twilight mutters with a smile. She smiles a gentle smile at the terrified rat. "Hi there. I'm Twilight Sparkle." She shifts her smile at Xana. "You can call me Twilight."

Xana nods her head as she returns Moon Gaze inside her pouch. "Nice to meet ya. I'll settle on calling ya 'love' if ya don't mind," she says with a smirk and a wink.

"I'll settle on calling you 'The Crazy Mare,'" a squeaky voice erupts from the kangaroo's pouch.

"...mmm...and I'll...settle...on calling you...Miss Roo...zzz..." the brown, unconscious stallion mutters, unable to notice Xana's angry frown.

"Well," Twilight smiles at the kangaroo. "Food's ready. Why don't you join us for dinner? We can talk about Moon Gaze's...transformation while we eat."

"Care to tell us what dinner means, love?"

Twilight's smile falters.

"It's eating time at night!" Seri chirps, already seated by the table.

"Heh..." Xana smirks as she follows Twilight towards the table. "Smells really heavenly, love. No wonder the idiot madly wanted to return to ya."

Twilight blinks at that. Lighting up her horn, she magically checks the contents inside Jay's saddlebag. Happy that he collected the items and curious that there's still one gem inside his saddlebag, Twilight leads Xana to her seat before she sits on her place as she wonders where Sienna has gone to.

Curious, Xana leans forward, staring at the foreign liquid goop inside the pot. Curious as well, Moon Gaze climbs up to the kangaroo's head to have a look.

"Can't deny the heavenly smell," Xana says, leaning back. "But what in tail hairs is _that_ thing?"

"Soup!" Seri hungrily answers as Twilight magically fills their bowls with soup.

Moon Gaze climbs down and lands on the table to investigate Xana's soup bowl.

"Don't eat it yet," Twilight says as she magically pushes another bowl of soup to Moon Gaze. "Let me cool it down first." Using her magic, she summons a blue aura, cooling the soup in the bowls and in the pot. "There we go—"

Seri dives her head towards her bowl, slaughtering the soup with her hungry beak and making a mess. " _Om nom nom nom—!_ " She lifts her soup-smeared head back moments later, bowl empty, and blinking at the others who are staring at her. "...Is there something on my face?"

Twilight rolls her eyes before smiling an apologetic smile at the other two as she refills Seri's bowl. "She's Seri, by the way."

"Nice to meet you two!" the swan says before diving her head back into her soup bowl.

Xana and Moon Gaze blinks at her. The duo looks at each other and shrugs. Xana grabs her bowl with her hands and digs in while Moon Gaze climbs on his bowl, standing on the edge as he eats.

"Mmm..." Moon Gaze mmm's. Seconds later, he slips, falling to the soupy pool. His head breaks through the soup, looking around. "...Aw to heck with it." And he slurps the soup as he sits inside his soup bowl.

Twilight chuckles at the sight as she magically refills Seri's and Xana's bowls. Now that she have all the items she needs, she'll be able to look back into the past to see what happened to Equestria.

But she'll do it later. For now, she needs to regain her strength if she wants to take a peek into the past without any interruptions.

Twilight blinks, recalling how Xana introduced Moon Gaze to her. "So..." she begins, staring at the rat. "You used to be a pegasus?"

"Mm-hmm," Moon Gaze replies, kicking aside the thought that he's actually talking to the mad mare. He frowns a soupy frown. "Your mate turned me into a rat."

Twilight blinks. "My mate?" She blinks again. Then it clicks, her eyes widening. "Oh no, no, no! Jay and I are _not_ mates! We're just—"

"Friends?" Xana blurts out, smirking. "That's how it starts, love," she says with a wink.

Twilight looks away, feeling her cheeks burning, probably because of the soup's temperature, she mentally tells herself. "A-anyway...how did it happen?"

"You wanna hear what happened, huh?" Moon Gaze asks. Upon receiving the mare's affirmative nod, he blinks. "Huh... No mare has ever been interested in listening to me or my stories," he mutters under his breath as he climbs out of his bowl.

"Probably because the things you tell them were boring," Xana teases.

Moon Gaze throws a glare at her.

Xana counters it with a smirk. "But a pegasus turning a rat might be an interesting tale to hear."

"I'm excited to hear it while eating!" Seri chimes in.

Moon Gaze gives up his glare and sighs before facing the mare again. "Well, promise not to kill me while I tell you the story?"

Twilight blinks. "...Uh, I promise?"

"Thanks," the rat smiles a wide smile at her before he retells the story of how he met Jay and Sienna, his journey to the Storm Forest, and the morning he found himself as a rat.


	37. 2 - 17

"So Sienna wasn't with Jay when he returned to collect the items you got for him?"

"Nope," Moon Gaze replies, sitting on the table by his empty soup bowl. "No clue why. First time I saw those two, I thought they were mates." He shrugs. "I guess I was mistaken." He stares at the mare. "You sure you and Jay aren't mates?"

Twilight nods her head. "Pretty sure we aren't." She rubs her chin with a hoof. "I wonder why she left. I should ask Jay or Reykan later, whoever wakes up first."

"I've said it before, love, but I'll say it again," Xana says as she puts down her empty bowl on the table. She smiles at Twilight. "That food... _soup_ , was it? It was heavenly."

"Aw... Thanks!" Seri chirps, smiling at the kangaroo. "It's a wonderful feeling to know that you all love my koking!"

"Cooking," Twilight corrects her.

"Heh," Moon Gaze smirks at the avian. "I can _clearly_ see why Crazy Jay wanted to return. Food here's wonderful, though they look weird and feel hot and weird in the mouth. Still..." He shrugs. "Too bad he's sleeping."

"Seri left him some."

Seri blinks. She turns to Twilight. "...I was supposed to leave some for Jay?"

Twilight frowns at her. She shakes her head. "And we can't wake him until the poison's completely out of his system. He should wake up on his own."

Seeing as everyone is done eating, Twilight asks Seri to clean up the table as she trots toward the stacks of gems.

"I've been wondering about those gems," Moon Gaze says as Seri takes away his empty bowl.

Her horn glowing, Twilight envelops the many gems with her magic. "Hm?"

"Why do you have so many of them?" the rodent asks, sitting up properly to have a better look as Seri places all the empty bowls inside the empty pot. "Did you mine all of them on your own?"

"No," Twilight replies as she begins to scatter the gems on the library floor. Her ears droop. "I uh... _kinda sorta_ stole them from the unicorns."

Moon Gaze blinks.

"...Kinda?" Xana asks.

Seri waddles toward the kitchen, carrying the pot with her wings and careful not to step or bump on any of the gems.

"As for why I have...or _took_ so many," Twilight continues, still scattering the gems, "I need as many gems as possible to amplify my magic so I can fix Equestria. Or at least see the past of this version of Equestria so I'll know what caused this change and fix it."

Silence, save for the quiet magical hum from Twilight's horn and the gems.

"Uh," Xana breaks the silence a few seconds later. "You lost us at 'Equestria', love."

"The first one or the second one?"

"You lost me at 'amp fly'," Moon Gaze squeaks. "What does that mean? And what do you mean 'you're going to fix Equestria'? Why? What's wrong with it?"

"Everything!" Seri chirps from the kitchen.

Twilight pauses what she's doing. She turns and faces the two creatures sitting by and on the table. "Oh, right... You don't have a clue what I'm talking about."

Moon Gaze rolls his eyes.

"Oh! Oh!" Seri excitingly pokes her head from the kitchen. "Twilight! Do that shiny glowy showy thingie on the table!"

"Shiny glowy what now?" the rodent asks, blinking.

"Maybe later, Seri," Twilight replies to the avian as she returns to her task.

"Aw..." the swan pouts.

"I can tell you two a short version of the story if you want?" Twilight asks.

Moon Gaze and Xana blinks at the busy mare. The duo looks at each other, shrugs, and return their attention to the mare.

"We're all ears, love," Xana says.

* * *

"So let me get this straight..." Moon Gaze says, his upper body hanging above the kangaroo's pouch. He rubs his aching head with his small paws. "This land that we live in, Equestria, is _not_ Equestria, and you're trying to find out how to fix it."

"Mhmm," Twilight nods her head as she places a small pot with water on the table. She blinks. "Somehow, I get the feeling that Jay's going to be impressed by how you summarized it all in just one sentence."

"I'll take that as a 'yes'..." Moon Gaze groans.

"So what exactly are you doing now, love?" the kangaroo asks as she curiously leans her head towards the pot to have a better look.

"Hopefully it's something that'll turn me back into a pegasus."

Twilight shakes her head. "I'm sorry, Moon Gaze, but I'm going to have to ask you to wait a little bit longer." She flashes the pouting rat a small smile. "But don't worry. I still remember how to make the cure."

"I can hardly wait..." Moon Gaze sighs.

Reminding herself where she put Jay, Twilight turns and eyes the sleeping stallion by the stairs beside Reykan. Using her magic, she unstraps the saddlebag from him and levitates it towards her, ignoring Moon Gaze's quiet comment about how freaky Twilight's magic is. Placing the saddlebag on the table in front of her, she levitates the bag's contents out, sets the bag aside and places the contents in front of her.

"Can I have my gem back?" Moon Gaze quietly squeaks. His gem levitates toward him and Xana places it inside her pouch, careful not to squish the rat in the process. "Thank you," he said, now standing on the gem and can now easily poke the upper-half of his body out of the kangaroo's pouch.

Horn still glowing, Twilight pulls two jars from the kitchen, flying above Seri's head who's waddling out from the other room.

"What'd I miss?" Seri asks as she sits beside the kangaroo.

"You missed the headache," Moon Gaze says. "Unless you already heard the crazy mare's crazy Equestria tale."

"Oh, I've heard it thrice already," Seri smiles and nods at him. "Four times if you count her earlier retelling of the story," she says as Twilight opens the two jars.

Moon Gaze and Xana blink at her.

She blinks back. "What?" she asks as Twilight looks and smiles at the ingredients inside the jar.

"You're crazy," the rat says.

The swan chuckles as Twilight mixes the ingredients inside the pot. "Well, I've been with 'the crazy mare' longer than anyswan, anypony, anycat, _anyone_ , so that makes me 'the crazy mare's crazy swan!'"

Xana looks at Twilight who's using her magic to stir the contents of the pot. With a frown, she turns back to the smiling swan. "What Twilight told us... This Equestria being not real?" She shakes her head. "I gonna be honest, I'm having a hard time understanding it."

"More like impossible," Moon Gaze grumbles. "If _this_ isn't real, then why does it _feel_ real?" He looks at the mare, then back at the swan. "I don't understand it."

"Oh, it's quite easy to understand," Seri says, turning to fully face the kangaroo and the rat. "Look at the sky."

The duo looks up, blinks, and frowns at the swan.

Seri smiles at them. "What do you see?"

"Not the sky," Moon Gaze replies.

Seri nods her head. "Right. So imagine the sun is up and shining. What's the sky like?"

"Blue?" Xana shrugs.

Moon Gaze nods his head. "Unless a wild storm's happening."

"Right," Seri confirms. "What if we change the sun with the moon. What happens to the sky?"

"...Black?" Xana offers, blinking.

"Again, unless there's a wild storm," Moon Gaze chimes in.

Xana frowns at him. "...Then it'll be a blacker sky."

"With lightning."

"Say there aren't any storms," Seri says. "They're still the same sky, right?"

"Obviously," Moon Gaze says.

"But there was a difference, even though it was still the same sky, right?" Seri asks.

Xana mulls it over.

"Wait," Moon Gaze says, rubbing his forehead. "...What you're saying is...Equestria, _our_ Equestria, is still the same, but different, too?"

"Yes!" Seri chirps, ruffling her feathers. "Someone, or something, took the sun and replaced it with the moon! Or the other way around. And Twilight is going to find out who or what did it!"

"...Huh," Xana smiles at the swan. "You're better at explaining it than the unicorn, love."

"There!" Twilight suddenly says, smiling and catching the attention of the others. She stops channeling mana from her horn and turns to Xana. "I don't think I answered your question yet. Sorry about that."

Xana blinks. "What question, love?"

Twilight gestures with a hoof at the pot. "You asked what I was doing. Sorry if I wasn't able to answer you earlier."

The kangaroo shrugs. "It's okay, love." She looks at the pot and blinks, noticing the once crystal-clear water inside is now purple in color. "So what is it?"

"It's a potion," Twilight replies as she stands up. "I was making a potion, and now it's done. Well, almost. It'll help me see the past. All I need to do now is to cast an alicorn-level magic to turn it white."

"Alicorn?" Moon Gaze asks.

"And then we drink it, right?" Seri asks, eyeing the liquid inside the pot. "Mmm... Looks like one of those delicious drinks you sometimes make, Twilight. Dews, right? Or pee?"

Xana blinks. "...Purple pee?"

"Juice, Seri, and no, it's not," Twilight frowns at the avian. "And this isn't tea, either..." She blinks. "And 'we'?"

Seri nods at her. "Why not? It looks plenty enough for all of us!"

Twilight rubs her chin with a hoof. "Actually, not including the sleeping duo, it's not enough. Buuuuut..." She takes a step back, eyeing the pot on the table. "You gave me an idea. But before that..."

Taking a deep, deep breath, and exhaling, Twilight closes her eyes and lights up her horn, enveloping all the gems scattered on the library's floor with her purple magic.

Moon Gaze and Xana are looking at the glowing gems with worry and discomfort, but Seri smiles a reassuring smile at them, making them feel _somewhat_ reassured that nothing bad will happen to them.

Strands of magic start to stretch out from the gems, worming through the air and heading towards Twilight's horn. Seri coos, looking at the many strands with starry eyes. The other two are fidgeting with their ears droop, nervous about what is happening and what is about to happen.

The strands connect to Twilight's horn, and slowly, the purple aura from her horn is becoming whiter and brighter. Seconds pass, turning into minutes. Twilight grunts from the magical strain, her horn shining brighter and brighter, painting the entire library in bright white light and deep black shadows. Sweat runs down her face as she grinds her teeth in concentration. "...A-almost...grr...g-got it...!"

Moon Gaze hides inside the kangaroo's pouch.

Xana takes a step back. "I...I-I feel strangely...warm...and positively wonderful, but..." And then another. "...I think we should run."

"No no no," Seri says, eyeing the end of one of the many magical strands in the air. "I think it'll be over soon!"

Moon Gaze pokes his long snout out of the pouch. "Y-yeah, us, will be done for."

Sensing the last of the magical strands fuse in her horn, Twilight then squints her shining as white eyes open. Both light from her eyes and her horn then suddenly turn black, oozing with green, mist-like energy and purple, bubble-like auras.

Seri, Xana and Moon Gaze shudder violently, their features drooping, suddenly fearing for their lives.

"Thundercrap! She's gonna kill us!" Moon Gaze squeaks in fright. "I don't want to die as a rat!"

"W-wow..." Seri shivers all over, pulling her head back in fright. "...W-why does it feel like we're all going to die so suddenly?"

Xana wants to run, but she can't find the will to move as she stares at death right in front of her.

Without warning, Twilight suddenly fires a black beam towards the pot, making Moon Gaze and Seri yelp in fright. Enveloped by a powerful negative magic, the pot shakes on the table, the liquid inside bubbling and sizzling as the purple color evaporates.

Black to purple, the aura on her horn vanishes as Twilight collapses on the floor with a tired grunt.

Nervously, Seri and Xana crane their heads to see if the mare is okay.

"...I-I'm okay," Twilight breathes out.

Moon Gaze pokes his head out of the kangaroo's head. "What was _that_ just now—?" His eyes grow wide as he and the others eye the white liquid inside the pot. "...Why does that...water-holding rock thing feel so...dangerous?"

"I know, right?" Seri nods her head in agreement, too afraid to touch or even look at the pot. "...Drinking it sounds like a bad idea now."

"No kidding."

Slowly, Twilight rises to her hooves. She wipes the sweat off of her head as she stares at the others across the table. "S-sorry about that. I underestimated how... _negative_ dark magic is." She shakes her head. "I didn't mean to scare you guys. I'm sorry."

"N-n..." Xana smiles a nervous smile. "...It's alright, love. No harm done, r-right?"

"So what is it, Twilight?" Seri asks.

Twilight eyes the pot. "It's a special potion that will help me see the past."

"See the past, huh?" Moon Gaze says. "I wouldn't mind seeing my sexy pegasus self again."

"I'll help you return to normal," Twilight tells him with a gentle smile. "I promise."

Moon Gaze blinks at her, failing to notice the heat on his cheeks.

Seri notices it however, and smiles a wide smile.

"E-er, okay," the rat manages to squeak quietly. He looks elsewhere. "...I feel weird. I blame the magic earlier."

"Magic," Seri says. She snickers. "Sure, sure..."

"Hm?" Twilight blinks at her. "What's so funny, Seri?"

"Oh, nothing," Seri shakes her head with an amused smile. She then gestures the pot with her head. "So... We get to drink it and see the past?"

Xana blinks at Seri. "I thought you said it's a bad idea."

"No," the mare shakes her head. "I'll be the one who'll drink it."

Seri pouts.

Twilight lights up her horn. "Buuut, I'll let you guys see the past, too." She smiles at them as the gems on the floor glow in purple aura. "That is, if you want to help me investigate."

"Sure," Xana nods her head. "Whatever 'investgate' means."

"Twilight wants us to help her check what changed Equestria," Seri explains to the kangaroo.

"Ahh," Xana ahh's, nodding her head in understanding. She shrugs. "Can't be too hard."

Moon Gaze shrugs. "Why not? I might as well help the mare who's going to help me return to being a pegasus." He glares a soft glare at the mare. "As long as there won't be any more freaky killer magics involved."

"No promises," Twilight says as the purple glow on the gems die down. She then levitates the pot towards her. "I suggest we all sit down." She sits down, the pot levitating in front of her muzzle. Seeing the others sitting down, she takes a breath to prepare herself, exhale, then drinks the white liquid.

The others wince, feeling the negative energy oozing from the drink.

Stifling a burp, Twilight places the empty pot back on the table. She fails to stop herself from shivering. "Well, it should start any seco—"

Bright white light suddenly flashes from Twilight's eyes and muzzle. A second later, the gems glow white as well, swallowing the entire library with the intense light.

* * *

 _Twilight winces from the brightness._

 _She takes a breath._

 _She blinks, waiting for the whiteness to fade in her eyes._

 _Her ears twitch, hearing many echoes..._

 _Echoes of hoofsteps... Multiple hoofsteps... From far, far away..._

 _Are they hoofsteps? They don't sound like hoofsteps..._

 _Echoes of droplets of water, falling down puddles and surfaces._

 _Is it raining? It isn't a strong one, she notices._

 _Echoes of muffled voices. Many words and many sentences, clashing with each other._

 _She takes another breath._

 _Finally, Twilight's vision slowly,_ slowly _returns to normal._

 _She blinks. Thrice._

 _She finds herself sitting on a pavement, in a city, full of tall,_ tall _buildings. Taller than any buildings she has ever seen in_ Equestria. _The clouds are thick and gray in the sky, and it's raining._

 _Carriages of weird designs on the roads run and stop through the traffic. She sees no drivers._

 _And tall, silhouetted and two-legged_ creatures _are walking on pavements and across the streets, and_ through _her._

 _Twilight flinch as soon as I realize that mysterious and unidentified creatures are walking through her. She then remembers that she cannot touch anything, nor can she be touched by anything. She takes a deep breath to calm down. She ruffles her feathers and—_

 _She freezes, her eyes growing wide. Momentarily forgetting the strange creatures around her, she slowly looks over her shoulder._

 _Her purple wings are folded on her sides._

 _A loud splash. Her ears twitch. She turns her head towards the noise._

 _One of the strange creatures stands on a puddle in front of her. It isn't silhouetted. Twilight can identify clothing. She identifies shoes, long, very long pants, and a shirt behind a long-sleeved hoodie. The creature has a head. A small head, anatomically reminding Twilight of monkeys. But the creature has no fur protecting its skin. Is that maybe why its wearing clothing?_

 _Twilight then realizes something..._

The creature is directly looking at her. Staring at her.

 _She freezes in fear, ignoring the silhouetted ones walking by and through her._

 _It's impossible, she mentally tells herself. Nopony... No_ creature _should be able to see her._

 _It's looking at her with small and bored-looking eyes. It then slowly opens its small mouth, making her flinch._

 _"Twilight?" the creature says, with a male voice. A_ familiar _male voice. He blinks a slow blink. He then slowly shakes his head. "You shouldn't show yourself in public." He slowly looks around. "If the government sees you, they might catch you and experiment on you..."_

 _Twilight blinks. She then releases a breath she didn't realize she was holding. She gulps. "...Jay?"_

 _The creature slowly looks back at her, shrugs, and walks away. "...Can't help you, Twilight, if they catch you. I got..."_

 _Twilight gasps as the silhouetted creatures suddenly disappear, the surroundings suddenly change into a forest, and sees Jay change into a brown pony._

 _Jay, the brown stallion, stops his trot, and slowly looks over his shoulder, staring at her. "...a lot of problems of my own already... Like..."_

 _The green, tree-filled surroundings disappear, and Twilight finds herself back in the raining city, staring at the two-legged Jay._

 _Jay slowly turns his head towards the direction he's heading, and walks away. "...looking for a way to get home. I'm sorry..."_


	38. 2 - 18

I'm walking down the street with slow and lazy steps, not minding anyone who's passing by. Where am I going, anyway? I can barely remember...

...Oh, right... Now I remember.

I need to find an apartment.

Now that I have a job, it's time to see if I can live by myself. I can't really stay at my aunt's forever...

I stop, staring at the tiny puddles of rainwater on the pavement.

I blink and look ahead, staring at my aunt's simple-looking two-storey house... It looks more like a building than a house though... Couldn't blame her. She never liked standing out in crowds. Didn't like getting a lot of attention. So she made her house look like the buildings in this city...

I turn around and blink at the purple pony who's staring back at me. I blink once again, wondering if this pony's a ghost, seeing that the cars are passing through it. Weird.

"Jay?" Twilight calls. "Is... Is that really...you?"

I close my eyes and shrug. "At least I know why you're confident showing yourself around if nothing can touch you, Twilight." I reopen my eyes and see her looking around her library in confusion. I sit my pony bum on the library floor and look around as well, albeit at a slower pace. "Hm... Mom's trying to look for another job... Maybe I should the local library... See if they're hiring."

Twilight turns to me. "Jay... Just... Just what are you?"

I shrug, stand on my two feet, turn around and walk up the steps towards the city's library.

"Jay, wait!"

Reaching the last flight of stairs, I stop and blink at Twilight, who's sitting in front of the library's door, looking angry and confused at me. I tilt my head slightly to the side, wondering why she doesn't have her wings anymore.

I bring a hand on my chin. "...On second thought, maybe library work's too boring..."

"Hey," I hear Twilight's voice from behind me. I turn around and see her looking offended, her wings twitching. "I'll have you know that working in the library is _not_ boring! It's actually quite—"

"Twilight," I hear Twilight's voice from behind me once again, even though I'm looking at her in front of me, who then looks behind me, her eyes growing wide. And then another Twilight, the _wingless_ Twilight, walks by, standing in front of Twilight- _with-wings_. "What the heck is going on? Where are we?"

Huh... Two Twilights. That's new.

"Who... I mean... Are you...?" Winged Twilight stammers, wide eyes still glued on the wingless version of herself.

Wingless Twilight huffs and rolls her eyes. "I'm you from the _other_ Equestria. Sheesh, and I thought you're supposed to be smart."

"B-but... How?"

"Answer my question."

Winged Twilight blinks. And blinks. "...You're me from the other Equestria?" She sits down and rubs her chin with a hoof, deep in thought. "...Then again, I did cast a spell on those gems to bring our friends' consciousness along as soon as the potion's effect triggers..."

Wingless Twilight groans an annoyed groan and turns to glare at me. "Apparently, you're Jay, and I bet you're the one doing..." With a hoof, she gestures at...everything. "...this." She stomps her hoof on the ground, eliciting...no noise, but our surroundings ripple violently. "I suggest you stop, or _else_."

Threats... I never like giving threats to anyone, nor do I like receiving one.

I turn around and find myself sitting on a chair around the dining table. Across the table, I see my mom looking pointedly at me.

"Stop this, Jay," my mom says in Twilight's voice. She's glaring at me, directly at _me_. "Or would you rather I geld you first before you stop?"

I sniff. I suddenly feel so downhearted. I am crying. I feel like the biggest loser. Biggest, most useless loser. I wonder why. "I-I can't..." I say, hearing the voice of my younger self. I hang my head, feeling afraid. I sniff. Looking up a bit, and through the tears, I stare at a piece of paper on the table in front of me, full of black prints, pencil writings and red x-marks. "I...I don't understand how this works."

My mom sighs and rubs her forehead with her hand. "Jay, I'm counting to three." She glares at me. "One..."

I take a deep breath. I feel my heart racing. "Th-thirty-three...times..."

"...two..."

"T-times two...is...is..."

My mom growls at me. "Final warning, Jay!"

I clench my eyes shut. "I-I don't know how to times!"

My mom suddenly stands up, pushing her chair back, the screech almost making my heart stop. She stomps towards me, a broomstick on her hand. "You dumb stallion!" she yells as she raises her hand, the broom shielding the ceiling's light from my face.

I flinch even before the first strike can hit me. "Mama, no!" I quickly clench my eyes shut.

And when I reopen them, I see myself outside our house, petting a stray panther's back as it ate a chicken bone. I feel myself smiling as the black cat looks up at me, it's blue eyes reflecting my younger reflection.

"...Jay?" the cub says, sounding like Reykan. "...What are you?" it asks, the bone almost falling out of its mouth.

"What are you doing?" I hear Twilight ask.

I turn my head towards her voice, and see my mom standing by the door. She's looking genuinely curious.

I smile a small smile at her. "Nothing," I tell her as I return my attention to the feline. "Just letting the dog eat the bones from last night's dinner."

She suddenly grabs my hand and drags me away from Reykan. "Idiot!" she hisses. "What if it bites you?! We don't know who owns that dog...panther...whatever! So who's going to pay for the anti-rabies, huh?!"

"I-I'm..."

"What's the problem?" Reykan asks. "I've bitten Jay a lot, and he's still okay!"

"Not the point." She sighs and lets me go. "Jay..." With a frown, she squats so her eyes are level with mine. "Stop this. I may have made a large amount, but the potion can only last for roughly half an hour." She smiles a small smile. "...Plus, I don't think Reykan's a good dog."

"Hey," the cub barks, sitting beside me and glaring at my mom. "I can be good at something!" It blinks. "But what's a dog?" It then turns and blinks at me. "And this is really Jay? What happened?" It looks back at my mom. "And where are we? I was chasing a big rabbit and then this bright light suddenly flashes in front of—"

A bright white light consumes and silences everything...except for myself. I stand up on my two feet and look around, feeling the salty breeze as the ocean's waves caress my bare feet. I take a deep breath and sigh, smiling at the golden rays of the setting sun on the horizon.

I love the ocean. I love the sea. I love the beach.

...I love the sunset.

I feel my smile fading...

The sun's about to set. The sun's about to end the day. It can't forever be a sunset. Things need to end, apparently.

A flash of darkness. A severe headache. Closing my eyes and grinding my teeth, I clutch my aching head with both hands as I fall to my knees.

Things eventually end. Why does it need to end?

" **JAY—!** "

Startled, I open my eyes wide as I whip my head back. I see my mom, kneeling in front of her dresser, shoving her clothes and items inside a large traveling bag. She's crying. She's trembling. She's sobbing.

She looks at me, her tear-stained face making my heart ache. "I told you to pack your things, you dumb stallion! Now do it!"

I feel my lips trembling. My vision is starting to fog.

The door suddenly bursts open, startling the both of us.

"And where do you think you're going, you mad mare?!" Moon Gaze squeaks as dad storms in, fire burning in his eyes. He grabs my mom's hair and pulls her away from her dresser.

I hear her shout. I hear her wail.

I hear a mighty fist striking against soft skin.

I hear angry shouts. I hear madness.

I quickly turn around—and stop, my breath freezing inside my lungs.

...I feel my lips trembling as I stand there, staring at my mom—

The door bursts open once again. Dad storms in. No. He _rushes_ in...and grabs mom by her legs, lifting her up.

"Get the knife, dammit!" he shouts at me, horror written all over his face.

My mind is blank. My body rushes down the stairs automatically without my command. I grab the knife from the sink and rush back up. I run inside the room, dad already standing on the chair, still grabbing mom. I give him the knife.

And he cuts the rope.

Mom falls down.

And everything turns black.

...I open my eyes, seeing the golden sand. I take a trembling breath.

I hear footsteps on the sand behind me, approaching me.

"Time to leave, love," Xana says.

I stand back up and turn around.

My mom's standing a few meters from me, a sad smile on her lips. She looks old. Older than when I was young. Make-up can hide her true age, maybe slightly, but it cannot hide from my eyes.

It cannot mask the pain from my eyes...

"We'll be staying in your aunt's den in the forest. Should be nice enough to live, I hope." She blinks. "What in snake's skin am I talking about anyway?"

I take another breath and sigh. "...What about dad?"

She frowns. She frowns a heavy frown.

I feel my heart break. I shouldn't have asked that. Why did I ask that?

She looks away. "...You understand why he's not coming...why he won't be coming with us...right?"

I do.

I hang my head, looking at the newly-made kite on my young hands. "Whoa!" I say, feeling my eyes practically sparkling.

I feel a large, strong hand rubbing my young head. "Hahahah," Moon gaze laughs as he hands me a tin can where he rolled the string for the kite. He points at the beach which is not too far away, where a few silhouettes are running and playing. "Now go over there and fly your kite. Fly it as high as you can!"

"Mmm!" I nod and run towards the beach, the kite tailing me in the air, ignoring the sad look my mom is giving me as I run past her.

Reaching the beach, I skid to a stop as I turn around, falling on the sand on my back. I feel a wide grin as I let Seri fly in the air, rolling the can on my hands to increase the length of the string.

"Wheee!" Seri wheee's cheerfully, flapping her wide white wings in the air. "I'm flying! There's no wind but I'm flying!"

"Hey, son!" Moon Gaze calls.

I sit up and turn my head towards his voice. I blink and see him sitting on the table outside our home, with a couple of his friends from work, holding those weird, bad-smelling bottles on their hands.

Dad, his face looking slightly red, is holding and waving a paper bill with his other hand. "I'm gonna give you this money if you can empty this full bottle." He smiles a wide, _wide_ smile. "What do ya say?"

His silhouetted friends are telling me, almost chanting, to accept the offer.

I bite my lower lip. I don't want to. The smell of that stuff hurts my head. But that's...a big money. I could buy lots of things with that.

I slowly take a step forward, but I stop when I hear chains rattling behind me. I look over my shoulder and see a sphere of moving images floating in the darkness. I slowly turn around to have a better look.

I see mom teaching a kid how to properly sweep the floor.

I then see the kid looking at mom as she washes the dishes.

Mom, holding a report card, is scolding the kid.

The kid is quietly sneaking towards a drawer. He opens it and quietly grabs a handful of coins while mom is talking to a customer inside our little store.

Mom is shaking her head in disappointment as she watches the kid kneeling on the front yard, hand-picking some red ants and putting them inside a sugar-filled jar.

The front door opens, mom walks in, and looks surprised to see a bunch of water-filled jars on the living room table with goldfishes each, some where already floating up-side-down.

Mom and a teacher are shouting at the kid, who is sitting on a tree branch in a school yard, to climb down.

An angry mom is boiling a notebook, each paper full of drawings and doodles. She pours the paper soup on a bowl and tells the kid to drink it or else.

Mom looks stunned, staring at the crying kid who's holding a knife, with a dead, chopped cockroach on the floor.

Mom then walks in on the kid, who's playing a video game. She pulls the plug, immediately turning the television off. The kid shouts at her, and mom shouts back. The kid throws the joystick on the floor, making mom furious.

A weak chuckle escapes my lips as I wipe a tear running down my face. I was a curious and spoiled brat back then.

Mom was always there for me, even though she hurts me at times. She attends every parent-teacher meetings and Christmas parties in schools. She even walks with me on my graduations: kindergarten, grade school, high school...

...even college, right after things started making sense. When I finally strung the pieces together and started making sense of everything. When I finally convinced my mom that we move out after I've stopped being blind to it all...

Of why dad had lots of 'friends'.

Of why dad talks 'differently' to single women.

Of why dad tells me not to tell mom.

Of why dad is not often home.

...Of why my dad barely had the time for us.

"Time to leave, love," I hear Xana say.

I blink, feeling the comfort of the gentle setting sun's rays on my eyes. I turn around and see my mom, looking older than she used to be, who kept holding on keeping the family together, no matter how cracked it was even from the start, just so I can grow up with a mother and father.

...until she finally snapped and almost—

She blinks, the dark surroundings turning back to the beach. "...Haven't I said that before? What's going on?"

"...To the city?"

She blinks, surprised to hear me suddenly talking. She composes herself and nods her head. "Yes. City. Whatever that is." She shrugs. "You'll attend college there, away from here." She smiles a small, sad smile. "...You understand, right, love?"

I hang my head. "...Yeah."

He was always out there, busy working.

...or at least, I thought he was.

Everything's dark all of a sudden. There's that pain in my head again.

"Grrk...!" I clench my eyes shut as I rub my aching head with my hooves.

He always cooks the best meaty meals. He drives the motorbike and oftentimes brings me along with his deliveries. He knows how to use his words to calm angry customers. He has a lot of friends.

He doesn't buy me the stuff I want though. But I never felt too bad about it. He promises me that he'll buy it for me next time.

And the next time... And the next time after that.

He doesn't attend any school activities. He's always coming home late, always missing dinner and movie nights. He says he's busy with work. But I never felt too bad about it either. He promises to attend the next one.

...And the next one... And the next one after that...

He doesn't scold me if I did anything wrong with anything. He even argues with my mom to let me off the hook.

He doesn't eat with us most of the time, because he's always rushing to or busy with work.

He doesn't compliment me if I achieve good grades after studying too hard on them, because he's too tired and wants to sleep.

He tells me that everything's fine the next morning, even though there are a lot of glass shards on the floor.

He tells me that mom is insecure, that is why they always argue and fight almost every single night.

He tells me that mom will be back soon every time my mom leaves for an uncertain amount of days.

...And he tells me that he doesn't know what he has done wrong, as we watch these strange people carry mom inside the ambulance.

...Sometimes I wish that I never grew up and stayed innocent, because I miss feeling happy and seeing how bright the world was in my innocent, ignorant eyes.

Then again, that would mean I would remain blind to everything that was happening...

I hang my head as the images around me start to fade. I sit down and embrace my knees, crying quietly as I ignore the many voices calling out my name. Twilight's, Reykan's, mom's, dad's, Moon's, Seri's, Xana's, bro's—!

My bro. My poor, poor bro...

He was cheerful, but was mortified when he saw how angry my mom was at me. He studied hard, impressing my mom with good grades.

"Why can't you be as smart as him, Jay?"

He was energetic, but he's well-behaved after he saw how mom punished me after talking back at her.

"Why can't you be good like your brother, Jay?"

He was lazy, but not anymore after my mom scolded me for not sweeping the floor.

"Why can't you be as responsible as your brother, Jay?"

He was—

"Why can't you be—"

He was—

"—just like your—"

He was—

"—younger brother—"

He was—!

"—Jay?!"

My eyes shot open. I feel angry. So _fucking_ angry.

And without hesitation, I push my brother off the stairs.

I hear mom cry out in panic from downstairs.

I see the stunned look my brother is giving me as he falls down.

...And I feel how wide my smile is and how happy I am that I did it.

I finally did it.

...What did I do? Why did I do it? Will it stop mom from hurting me? Will she finally stop scolding me? Will she finally let me do whatever I want? Will she finally stop comparing me from my brother?

She didn't answer. I didn't ask anyway.

I can almost see how horrified I am as I stare at my brother down the stairs, mom cradling him and crying over him.

Why did I do it? She asks me, I'm sure, but I never hear any voice coming out from her trembling lips. She is crying. She is sobbing. She is asking herself what she did wrong to deserve this. She is asking herself why I turned out like this.

...She is asking me why am I like my father. I am like my father. Am I really like my father? I should be happy...right? Mom is trying to stop me from becoming like my father! I like dad! I love dad! Why is she doing that? Why is she stopping me from turning into him?!

But I didn't ask her. I didn't need to.

I...have hurt my brother. I have never seen him like that before... He almost looks like...mom. He looks...like mom...after their fight. Dad hurts mom... I am like dad... I hurt my brother... I hurt mom...

"Jay..." I hear Reykan's weak voice from my brother's lips... "...I...'m...s...sorry..."

A loud crashing noise. Everything becomes dark as I fall to my knees, crying. I cry, and cry, and cry...

"N-never again..." I say, almost choking on a sob. "I-I... I don't want to hurt my brother ever again... I don't want to hurt my mom ever again..."

"And why not?" I hear Twilight ask. "She's hurting you. Countless times, even. And you didn't even hurt her, not even once! And don't you give me that look, Twilight! From what we've seen, from what he _showed_ us, he's been hurt, always getting hurt, and never got justice. I'm proud of him, to be honest. He finally learned when to draw the line, just like I did back then, but I'm disappointed as well, for he immediately erased that very line. So what's next? Basing from cliché stories my _counterpart_ has read, you become a sponge to all hurt as you try to be a good pony... _who-mahn_...whatever your stick species are called. Am I correct? Please say yes and let's be done with this useless background story of yours."

I take a breath, feeling the salty breeze as I hear the soft waves of the beach.

"Oh, for crying out lou—"

"Never again will I hurt them..." I whisper to myself as I see my younger self, crying with a knife on hand and a dead roach on the floor.

"Jay?" I hear Xana's voice. "I'm...afraid to ask, but what's going on?"

I sniff and look at her as I hear another set of sobs from somewhere in the room. "It...it scared Kevin, so I...I killed it!"

My mother's sigh echoes in the background as I pet the eating panther cub, my brother sitting beside me and curiously looking at the creature.

"What are you two doing?" I hear Twilight ask.

My bro and I turn our heads toward her voice, and we see mom standing by the door, looking curious.

"Nothing," my brother and I reply in unison.

"Just letting the dog eat the bones from last night's dinner," I add as I turn back to the panther cub.

Grabbing my bro's hand and mine, mom drags us away from Reykan. "Idiots!" I hear her hiss mixing with the salty breeze as my brother and I happily watch Seri flying in the air.

I turn to him. "Wanna hold it?" I ask, offering the tin can.

"Eh?" he blinks at me, his smile turning into shock. "No no no! I don't wanna! I dunno how!"

"Idiot," I chuckle. "It's simple! Just hold it and...um... Just hold it!" I say as I shove the can to his hands.

I hear shouting from the distance. My brother and I turn to the source. We see mom and dad arguing outside the house...again.

"They're still fighting..." I hear Reykan whisper to himself.

I frown as dad waves the bill in the air, taunting me to grab the bottle. I want to leave.

But my brother suddenly appears beside me, walking towards him.

Dad hands him the bottle, and his friends cheer as my brother grabs it.

He looks at it, looks at him, looks back at the bottle, holds it on its neck with one hand...

...and turns it up-side-down, spilling the content on the ground, creating a liquid mess in the quiet outdoors.

"...There," my brother says. "It's empty."

I'm not quick enough to push him away from my father's fist.

I close my eyes and lean my head on the window of the moving bus. Slowly, I reopen my eyes and watch the blurry scene passing by.

I pull my head back and look at mom, who's fast asleep with her mouth slightly open. I feel a small smile on my lips. She really did thought she was doing something wrong after that...incident. She stopped hitting me. Still though, she was still strict on grades.

We're moving away from it all. We're putting the past behind us... I'm going to college... Mom's gonna look for work. My bro's gonna attend senior high school...

I look out the window and see my aunt's two-storey building before us, mom and bro carrying and pulling bags and walking through the closed door.

I take a breath as I close my eyes. I turn around and reopen my eyes.

I stare at the tall apartment building before me. Here's to hoping...

The landlady opens the door, and smiles an old, wrinkly smile at me.

"Hello, Jay."

I still find it weird how she knew my name. Mom probably told her.

"Looking for a room, I take it?"

I nod my head. Not only my name, but she also knows why I came here... It's...strange...

Something's suddenly growing on the landlady's forehead, my widening eyes transfixed on it. "...I've had enough of your backstory bullshit," she says in Twilight's angry voice as a purple horn on her forehead suddenly glows in bright, purple light. "Now wake the **buck** up!"

 ** _FLASH_**


	39. 2 - 19

Purple slowly fading into blackness.

Muffled voices reaches my twitching ears.

And my head is aching.

A groan escapes my lips as I lift my two hooves up and rub my furry pony head.

Damn it... It's been a long time since I've had that nightmare. Only that one was more...painful. And heartbreaking. And confusing. So many jumps and cuts. If I can compare it to a Mario game, it would have been like the water levels: lazy, boring and missing sense. _Throwing fireballs underwater? Pfft._

Anyway, I wish to never see that nightmare ever again.

"Are you even listening?" I hear Twilight ask from behind me.

"S-sorry," I breath out as I put my two hooves down. Opening my eyes, I find myself in...darkness. Complete darkness. Standing up, I turn around and see everyone quite clearly...plus another Twilight. I blink. "...Uh."

"What in Leg Crawler shit was _that_ just now, anyway?" Moon Gaze squeaks from inside Xana's pouch.

Leg Crawler...

"We were inside Jay's dreamscape," Winged Twilight says, hoof on chin, eyebrows furrowed and eyes burning holes on the darkness. "My consciousness would have been thrown back in time after I drank that potion, but I cast a spell on those gems to send all of us...all of our consciousness, because, _well_ , more is better than one, as Pinkie always says."

Reykan slowly pokes Seri, but his paw goes through her, making the swan giggle. "...Weird" he says as he sits down and tries but fails to claw the giggling avian. "Why can't I touch her?"

Wingless Twilight mutters something under her breath.

"Ahem," Winged Twilight clears her throat, catching everyone's attention. "We can't touch each other, nor can anything touch us," she explains. "Not right now, anyway."

"So where are we?" Moon Gaze asks. "It's pretty dark, but I can clearly see everyone for some reason."

Alicorn Twilight nods her head. "That's because I'm in control of our _united_ dreamscapes now." She turns to me. "Earlier, it was Jay who was in control. I still don't know why, but my theory is that...it's because his grasp on the dreamscape was stronger than mine, or any one of us, probably because he was asleep."

"Reykan was asleep, too," Seri says.

Alicorn Twilight pauses to consider that. "...and maybe because Jay's... _species_...has a stronger mind. Maybe." Her ears droop. "If my other self haven't figure out a way to, uh, _wake him up_ , we could have been trapped in Jay's dreamscape forever, even if he wakes up or even if the potion's effect runs out..."

That's a scary thought.

Unicorn Twilight grunts.

I guess anyone who's asleep has more control over their dreams. Does that mean Twilight drank the potion while I was sleeping? Wait... I was _sleeping_? I remember the Leg Crawler... It bit me, and then...bits and pieces... If I was, or currently am sleeping, then that means we made it out of that millipede nightmare and got to Twilight's. Phew... That's a nice thing to look forward to when I 'wake up'.

"...Why are there two of you, love?" Xana suddenly asks.

Alicorn Twilight blinks. "Well—"

"There are two Equestrias, remember?" Unicorn Twilight quickly replies, cutting the alicorn off. "The real one and the current one." She gestures at the alicorn. "She's from the real one." She points a hoof at herself. "I'm from the current one. Do your simple brains understand that?"

"She's the mad mare you all know!" Seri chirps, pointing at the unicorn. She then points at the alicorn. "And she's the mare who _looks_ like the mad mare you all know! Plus wings!"

Xana and Moon Gaze blink.

Unicorn Twilight rolls her eyes. "In any case—"

"Then why isn't there another us?" Reykan suddenly asks, blinking.

Alicorn Twilight raises a hoof. "I can answer that. It's because—"

"We've wasted enough time as it is!" Unicorn Twilight interjects, glaring at the panther cub. She turns that glare on me. "No thanks to you, _alien_."

"I'm...sorry?"

Alicorn Twilight frowns at me. "Jay..." She takes a breath. "...I have a loooooooong list of questions I want you to answer later."

"Yeah..." I lamely nod my head as I stare at the sudden unrolled scroll floating behind the alicorn. "...I can see that."

She blinks, looks back and blinks at the floating scroll.

It poofs into the darkness.

She shrugs before looking back at us, her horn glowing. "Alright. Everypony ready to help?"

"Help with what?" Reykan asks.

"Oh!" Seri chirps, smiling at the cub. "You weren't there when Twilight told Jay and Sienna the plan."

"What plan?" Moon Gaze asks.

"Who's Sienna?" Xana asks, blinking. "...And is this plan that 'investgate' thing you told us before all this...weird things started happening?"

Alicorn Twilight nods her head. "It's about to get a little weirder, because we're going to the past and see what caused the change, so brace yourselves."

"I can't wait!" Seri chirps.

Unicorn Twilight, her horn also glowing, looks at the kangaroo. "Remember, we cannot touch anything, and nothing can touch us. So if we suddenly appear in some unknown place, don't you dare start freaking out."

* * *

Xana and Moon Gaze are freaking out as we find ourselves under a clear blue sky and in the very middle of a large buffalo stampede.

Deciding it's best to ignore them, Unicorn Twilight turns to her alicorn counterpart. "Where are we?"

"Um..." the alicorn looks around, ignoring the bodies and dusts passing through us. "...in a stampede?"

The unicorn frowns at her.

The alicorn smiles an awkward smile. "Eh heh heh... Eh... Um..." She looks around again as the stampede dies down. "By my calculations, I brought us back to a day before the change happened."

"...Roughly a week ago?" I ask.

The alicorn nods her head as the stampede finally dies down, leaving a large dust cloud to settle. She turns towards a river where Xana and Moon Gaze have retreated, joined by Seri and Reykan. "I only came back here to see if I can actually bring all of our consciousness to the past." She looks back at me with a smile. "I guess it works!"

"Congratulations," Unicorn Twilight says with a deadpan. "Are we going to look for something here or what?"

The alicorn blinks. "Well..."

The unicorn stomps her hoof. "So you took us here for nothing then?"

"I said I wanted to test if I can bring all of us along, and it worked!" the alicorn counters. "That counts as something, right?"

"Why did you even bring these mindless asses along, anyway? Look what they're doing!" The unicorn points at the four standing by the river. "Are they helping? No!"

"There's nothing do look for in this part of the past anyway!"

"And need I remind you what this alien did?" the unicorn shouts, pointing a hoof at me. "This stupid ass-probed stallion wasted so much time already! So stop wasting even _more_ time and go back to the past that actually matters!"

"Okay, okay!" the alicorn gives in, sighing. "Let me round them up first."

"Don't bother," the unicorn says as she turns towards the four.

"But—"

" **HEY!** " the unicorn shouts, startling the four and making her counterpart and I wince. "Get your asses over here!"

Sheesh, hotheaded much? I shake my head and watch the four taking a couple of seconds to reach us.

"I can't swim on the river," Seri says with a pout as she lands.

"And I can't drink the water," Moon Gaze squeaks, panting. "And I'm thirsty."

"No," the unicorn frowns at him. "You're not."

Moon Gaze glares at her. His glare quickly fades as he blinks. "...Huh... I'm not thirsty anymore."

"Your minds are the ones with us right now," the alicorn explains. "If you think you're hungry, then you will be. If you think you can fly, then you can." She smiles at the curious blinks she received from them. "We're not really _in_ our bodies at the moment. Think of us as spirits—"

"Zip it," the unicorn growls, shutting the alicorn up. "No point explaining to the idiots something that's beyond their comprehension."

The alicorn glares at her wingless counterpart. "Don't be rude to them."

The unicorn glares back. "Stop wasting time, and I _might_ just do that."

The purple mares hold their glares...

...that lasts for only three or so seconds until the unicorn groans. "Stop wasting time already! I doubt you'd want to send these morons to collect the ingredients _again_ while you recharge those gems again!"

The alicorn closes her eyes and sighs. "...Fine." She looks up at the blue sky. "...If I remember correctly, after I drank the potion Zecora gave me, it magically sent me to the past where an important event happened."

"And this?" the unicorn asks.

The alicorn looks back at her. "I willed where I wanted us to go." Her horn starts glowing. "If I'll let the potion send me...send _us_ to where it wants us to go, we'll probably see something that'll help us figure out what happened."

"Hm..." The unicorn nods her head. "Sounds about right. Alright then..." Her horn starts glowing as well.

Xana leans her head down to my ear. "...Got any of that?"

I nod my head as the purple light gets stronger and stronger. "Yeah. But it's best to just roll with it."

"Yep!" Seri chirps in agreement.

"Roll with what?" Moon Gaze asks.

 ** _FLASH_**

* * *

As soon as I recover my vision, I find ourselves surrounded by trees in a dark forest, with cricket chirps echoing all around.

I blink... And blink... And blink again. This place looks...oddly familiar somehow. Have I been here before? It feels like I have, but I can't put a finger on where...

Then again, ever since I got to Equestria, I've been walking through a number of nameless forests. Each one looks kinda the same, but this forest gives off a...familiar feeling.

"So where are we this time?" Moon Gaze breaks our silence.

"Looks like we're in a forest," Seri answers.

"No kidding, love?" Xana asks.

"Seri's right," Reykan nods his head as he turns to the kangaroo. "We're in a forest."

A brown hoof meets my face.

A groan escapes Unicorn Twilight's lips as she looks at her counterpart. "...This is an important event, _why?_ "

The alicorn shakes her head in confusion. "I'm not sure. I didn't will it this time. I let the potion take us to where it wants us to—"

 ** _FLASH_**

A bright white light blinds us for a moment, silencing the night forest's melodies almost immediately. The surprised yelps of our companions accompany the sudden _thud_ noise that breaks through the silence.

And then everything's quiet.

I rub my eyes as I hear the others fussing about that sudden white light.

"So there are two Jays now?" I hear Moon Gaze ask.

Arching an eyebrow, I bring my hoof back down and open my eyes to see the others looking at... _myself_...my pony self, who's lying on the grass, fast asleep. I blink. "...Wait, what?"

Reykan pokes _my_ head, but his paw goes through _my_ head instead. "Huh..."

"Oh! Oh!" Seri suddenly chirps, whipping her small head left and right. "Is there another me around here, too? Another cute Reykan, maybe? Where? Where?"

...Wait.

"What's going on here, Twilight?" the unicorn asks. "Is _this_ the _important event_?"

...I...think I know what this is...

"Um... M-maybe?" the alicorn replies with a strained smile.

The unicorn's eye twitches. "...You're useless."

"I think..." I voice out, catching everyone's attention. "...I know what this is. Or _when_ this happened." I look around, trying to see the horizon through the gaps in between the trees, until I finally see daybreak. "This is when I woke up and realized I'm...no longer human... That I became a pony. That I was no longer back home." I look at them. "This was when I first woke up in Equestria."

Dramatic much? I blame my bro and his love for animé.

Silence.

"...What?" Moon Gaze asks.

"Oh! I get it!" Seri chirps happily. "That weird place that always changes, where you're a weird monkey creature thing! That place was your home, right?"

Sticks...and then monkeys... I shake my head, and then nod my head. "Yeah." I rest my gaze on my sleeping past self. "...I still don't know how I got here."

"And after you woke up," Alicorn Twilight adds. "You searched for me in hopes of sending you back?"

I smile a weak smile. "Yeah..." I rub the back of my neck with a hoof. "...But after you told me that you had no idea what happened to Equestria, I...decided not to tell you about...where I _really_ came from."

The alicorn frowns. "I really, _really_ thought you were from the same Equestria where I hailed from, Jay. It gave me a little bit of hope that maybe there are others out there, too, who are like us, who still have the memories of the real Equestria, or that whatever happened wasn't 'permanent' or something and can be reverted." She sighs. "You lied to me..."

I let out a sigh as well. "I'm sorry. But... I didn't want to burden you further." I look away. "I thought it would be a good idea to _not tell you_ until after I help you restore Equestria. After all..." I look back at her. " _'Oh, hey there, Twilight! Can you help me return home? I'm actually a human from another world, or dimension, that is probably far, far away from Equestria.'_ " I frown at her. "I really doubt you'd believe me."

"I see his point," the unicorn says. "Stupid as it may have been."

I glare at her.

"I have no idea what you are all talking about," Moon Gaze comments.

Seri turns to him. "Just smile and pretend you know what they're doing and saying. It prevented Twilight from getting many headaches when we first met."

"I'll take your word for it, love," Xana says before turning back to us. "So what now? We wait for Jay...er, Second Jay to wake up?"

"No," the alicorn says, shaking her head. "We figure out what that light was, or where it came from."

"In front of Jay," Reykan says immediately.

Both Twilights turn to him.

"...The Jay that's sleeping." The cub blinks and shrugs. "I saw him floating in the light. And that light was in front of him."

"Floating?" I ask.

"You saw what happened?" the alicorn asks. "In that light?"

Reykan shrugs again. "Well, yeah. I guess I did."

"That's incredible!" the alicorn exclaims, smiling. "I didn't know nocturnal creatures can see—"

"Zip the science mumbo-jumbo, Einstallion," the unicorn grumbles.

The alicorn blinks. "...Right, right... Ahem." She looks back at the cub. "...So what else did you see? Did you see who or what caused that light?"

"Nope," Reykan replies.

Alicorn Twilight's ears droop. "O-oh... Um...why not?"

"Because I closed my eyes? The light hurts, you know," the cub answers with a glare.

"Useless," the unicorn mutters.

"But you're sure that the light was _in front_ of Jay?" the alicorn presses on. "Like... Jay suddenly showed up _floating_ , and that the light really came from in front of him? It didn't come from the sky or the horizon or outside this forest?"

"Nope."

"So the light was close to Jay?"

"Yep."

"How close? A few inches? Feet? Meters?"

Reykan blinks, his jaw and the alicorn's snout already touching. He then eyes me. "...Jay? Why is she putting her face on mine?"

"She loves you, Reykan," I reply automatically as Twilight awkwardly pulls her head back. "You two are mates now."

Reykan glares at me as Seri giggles.

The alicorn rolls her eyes. "So how close was it, Reykan?"

Reykan sits down and pulls his two paws apart. "...Maybe this close."

By my estimate, that's about—

"Hm... About five or six inches," the alicorn steals my thoughts.

"And what good would that information be if the predator didn't even see who or what brought the alien here?"

The alicorn looks at her wingless counterpart. "It's useful, actually. I can safely say that it wasn't a portal. And it summoned Jay with the same light that changed Equestria." She sits down. "I was sitting around the cutie map when that light appeared. In a blink, Equestria changed. But if what Reykan said is true, then Jay was summoned here _after_ Equestria was changed." She looks grim. "...It's safe to assume that there is something _or_ someone who's doing this."

"I can see your memories, too, Twilight," the unicorn says. "That light in your castle was slower than the light that brought the alien here."

The alicorn nods her head as the sleeping _me_ suddenly pushes himself up and pauses, his wide eyes staring at his brown hooves.

Everyone's attention are on the past me, who closes his eyes, sighs and stands up straight.

"My theory is that..." the alicorn says as we watch the past me looking over his shoulder. "...the light only appeared when something is changed... _or added_ in Equestria."

I turn to her. "...You theorized that I came here after Equestria changed, right?"

The alicorn nods her head. "I know where you're going with that line of thinking," she says as the others watch 'past me' bringing a hoof to his head, checking if he has a horn or not. And then he looks over his shoulder again. "That moment in the castle when the light appeared?" She shakes her head with a frown. "It doesn't exist in this world." She shifts her sad gaze on my past self. "We can't see 'that part of the past' if it doesn't exist in this Equestria's past..."

Oh...

"What were you doing?" Moon Gaze asks.

I sigh and shrug. "Checking if I had a cutie mark, horn or wings."

We watch the brown stallion walking towards the edge of the forest, mumbling something under his breath.

"Should we follow him?" Xana asks.

I turn to the Twilights and notice the alicorn is deep in thought.

"Cutie marks..." she mutters. "Cutie marks...! That's it!" She looks to us with a big smile and sparkling eyes. "We don't have cutie marks! Nopony does! Why do you think that is?"

"What's a cutie mark?" Reykan asks, blinking.

Seri turns to him. "Twilight once told me what those are. She said it's some weird things on pony's flanks."

Reykan blinks at her, then turns to me, and then stares at my flank. "...I don't see anything weird on there."

"That's the point," I say. "Now stop staring. You're making me feel uncomfortable."

The alicorn sighs. "...Not really the responses I expected."

"So the cutie marks are gone," the unicorn says. "That's another big change, isn't it?"

"It is," the alicorn nods her head. "You said that the light was somewhat slower when Equestria was suddenly changed than the light that brought Jay here. I think it's because the former is a large change than the latter. Cutie marks are on everypony, so that's a large-scale change."

The unicorn nods her head. "It's still quick, but still slower. Unless—"

"And if we know where to look, we can be there right before it happens!"

"The potion will take us there and we'll be able to see who or what is causing these changes." The unicorn shakes her head. "But—"

Smiling excitedly, the alicorn lights up her horn in a purple glow. "And once we figure out who or what caused this, we can finally start figuring out how to fix Equestria!"

"Yay!" Seri cheers.

Unicorn Twilight glares at her counterpart. "Twilight."

"Hm?"

The unicorn glares at her. "Instead of wiping everypony's cutie marks, what if they stopped the discovery of cutie marks?"

The alicorn blinks, the glow on her horn dimming.

The unicorn continues: "The very first pony who got their cutie mark. What if that never happened?" She shakes her head. "That's a small change."

The alicorn's ears droop. "...I...haven't thought of that."

"Well now you do," the unicorn says. "It's going to be a quick flash again," she says as she lights up her horn. "So we should have a _quicker_ eye."

The alicorn sighs, her horn's glow brightening. She looks up at her counterpart with a determined look and nods her head. "You're right." She looks at the rest of us. "We're going to need everypony's help with this. Ready?"

I shrug.

 ** _FLASH_**

* * *

As my vision slowly return, my ears twitch to the harsh howls of icy wind. I blink, and blink again. Why am I still seeing white? Oh wait... Is... Are we in a blizzard? I've never been in a blizzard before, and I have no plans of changing that.

Anyway, it appears that we really are in a blinding white blizzard, snow zooming past and _through_ us in blurring speed.

I turn and can clearly see the others looking around, except for Xana, who's shivering all over, but her face is twisted in confusion. I'm not feeling the bitter cold of our surrounding, so the others probably don't as well, but maybe Miss Roo is shivering because her mind is telling her otherwise? Like instinct, maybe? Reykan and the others don't look like they're having any trouble though.

"Brr..." Xana hisses through clench teeth. "I hate snow..."

"It's not even cold," Reykan says, blinking at her.

"Doesn't matter," the kangaroo says. "Snow is still snow..."

I guess it's safe to assume that Alter-Equestria snows, too.

Unicorn Twilight rolls her eyes.

"So where are we now?" Moon Gaze ask shakily from the kangaroo's pouch, his poked head shaking with his shaky host.

"In a blizzard, I think," Seri answers with a beaked smile.

"This doesn't make sense..." we hear Alicorn Twilight mutter. We turn to her and see her sitting on the untouched snow, deep in thought. "Why did the potion sent us here? It wasn't snowing when the cutie marks were discovered."

I tilt my head to the side. "...How were cutie marks discovered anyway?" I don't remember any mention of that in the show. All I remember is that a cutie mark will appear on one's flank after they realize what they are passionate about...or destiny...or something.

Alicorn Twilight looks at me and opens her mouth—

"Ancient ponies," Unicorn Twilight suddenly says. "Cave ponies discovered fire. They utilized it. They got fire-related cutie marks. The end."

Alicorn Twilight closes her mouth. "Um... Yeah. What she said."

I blink. Cave ponies? Discovered fire? So like humans then, minus cutie marks?

She looks around. "Maybe the potion sent us here because—"

A ghostly whine pierces through the blizzard, making us look at the direction where the noise had come from. Faint hoofsteps reach my ears. Many, many hoofsteps, and many, many ghostly whinnies, growing louder and louder by the second.

"...Are we in the middle of a stampede again?" Reykan asks, blinking at the white world in front of him.

"Should we run and panic again?" Moon Gaze asks.

"It's a good thing I can fly!" Seri smiles.

The rat glares at her. "Lucky you," he grumbles.

"No, you idiots," Unicorn Twilight says, glaring at them. "How many times do we need to tell you that we can't touch anything and nothing can touch us—"

I gasp and jump in surprise when I suddenly see a tall and ghostly horse-like creature breaking through the whiteness a few feet or meters in front of me, _and galloping through me!_ I blink a confused blink in time for another ghostly equine to gallop by, and another, then another, and another. I sigh in relief as a herd of stampeding ghost horses are galloping by, through and over us, ignorant of our presence.

"They're Windigoes," Alicorn Twilight says as we turn to the direction where the ghostly herd are headed. "They're spirits of legend that can freeze an entire continent by feeding off the hatred and negative energies of those living on it."

"Eating what?" Reykan asks

Her brows furrow. "I say we follow them."

Unicorn Twilight nods her head. "Quickly, before we lose sight of them in this blizzard."

"W-we're gonna just chase after them _blind_?" Moon Gaze asks as we run with the ghostly equines. "What if we fall or bump into something?"

Unicorn Twilight grunts in annoyance.

* * *

We can no longer see any trail or tail of the Windigoes. We can't even hear their galloping hooves nor their ghostly whines anymore. Instead, all we can hear is the violent howling of the blizzard all around us.

And Unicorn Twilight isn't happy about it.

"I can't believe we lost them!" she yells, stomping her hoof on the undisturbed snow, only for her limb to phase through the ground. "Why can't they just run in a straight line?!"

"Maybe they were trying to lose us?" Xana says. She and Moon Gaze flinch and whimper under the unicorn's piercing glare.

Unicorn Twilight holds her glare on them for a few seconds before shifting them on her counterpart. "You! Why didn't you fly after them?! You have wings, for Celestia's sake!"

The alicorn bites her bottom lip, looking away. "...Um... I'm a bad flyer."

"Me too," Seri says with a nod. "Hard to fly in strong winds, especially in a blizzard like this one." It was surprising to see Seri managing to keep up with us without using her wings.

The unicorn groans. "Great! Just great! We're stuck in this blizzard with no knowledge of where we are and where to go!"

I slowly raise a brown hoof.

The unicorn notices it. "What?"

I frown at her, then turn to the alicorn. "You winged ones can fly up and see if you can...see anything."

"We're in a blizzard!" U-Twlight says. "Empowered by the windigoes, no less! How are they supposed to _see_ anything up there other than _this very blizzard?_ "

My frown grows heavier. "Well, sorry for suggesting something instead of whining about something."

Oh, she's fuming mad now, with her horn sparking. I'm really pushing my luck here, aren't I?

"Calm down, Alter-Me," Twilight says with a gentle smile as she tries to put a friendly hoof on the fuming unicorn's shoulder. "It's worth doing. I'm sure Seri and I will see something up there."

The swan nods her head.

"Fine," U-Twilight grunts, sitting down.

"Just take deep—"

"Shut up and fly already."

A-Twilight's smile falters. With a nod, she extends her wings and turns to Seri. "Shall we?"

Seri smiles and extends her wings as well. "Sure!"

And off they go.

"...Wow. We're flying through the blizzard!" Seri's voice echoes from above.

I blink... Wait... Didn't they told us that we can fly in this world?

Moon Gaze sighs. "...I could have flown with her."

"With Seri?" Reykan asks, blinking at the rat.

"With the winged unicorn, you dumb cat," Moon Gaze grumbles.

"I thought you're afraid of her?" Xana asks with a teasing smile.

"... _half_ of her."

U-Twilight rolls her eyes.

 ** _FLASH_**

I **cannot** believe something whiter and brighter than white itself can suddenly flash and blind me! But it happened!

As I rub my closed eyes and hear the others groaning and grunting from the sudden flash of light, distant and echoing cries and whinnies of the windigoes reaches my ears.

...And then silence. I can't even hear the loud howling blizzard anymore.

Blinking, and blinking, I look up and around.

The blizzard's gone.

A clear blue sky and a snowy white landscape greets us.

"...What just happened?" Moon Gaze asks as I look up and see A-Twilight and Seri flying back down.

"I hate snow and I hate blizzards but," Xana says, looking around. "...blizzards don't just stop like that."

"It was because of that white flash, huh, Jay?" Reykan asks as the winged duo 'lands' around us.

I nod my head.

"The light came from over there!" Seri points towards a direction.

"It's pointless now," U-Twilight says, shaking her head. "We'll just have to go back to the distant past where the cutie marks were first discovered."

A-Twilight nods her head before turning to where Seri has pointed. "Still, we should go and check out the location of where that light had come from."

U-Twilight sighs. "Fine." She glares at her counterpart. "But if it turns out that it's all a waste of time, I'm taking over our body after this."

A-Twilight gulps and nods her head.

* * *

A few minutes later—

"I think we've been walking for almost half an hour now," A-Twilight suddenly says to no one in particular. "I estimated the potion's effect to last only around half an hour."

"Then clearly you were wrong," U-Twilight responds back as we stop.

Anyway, as I was saying...or thinking...or _narrating to myself_... Standing on the snowy white landscape, we see a small group of colorful ponies down the snowy valley, all huddled together to share their warmth.

"Poor ponies," Xana whispers. "This is why I hate snow. I don't like how helpless we are to it, and there's barely any or no food for us to eat. And look at them! They're so vulnerable to predators!"

"Yep," Reykan nods his head, ignorant of Xana's, Moon Gaze's and U-Twilight's glares. He shrugs. "Too bad I'm not hungry and I couldn't touch them."

U-Twilight turns to her counterpart. "Well?"

A-Twilight is looking at the group with a critical eye. "...One of them is flying..." she points out. "And those ponies are...earth ponies...and unicorns...and pegasi."

"Good eye," Moon Gaze says. "I can only see them as a bunch of mashed-up colors from here..."

"What's your point?" U-Twilight asks.

A-Twilight turns to her. "...Those ponies... Those _three_ ponies in particular are—"

"Commander Hurricane," I chime in. "Princess Platinum and...uh..." I blink. "...Pudding...something..."

A-Twilight turns to fully face me. "You know, for someone who's not native _and_ who just arrived barely a week in this world, you sure seem to know a lot about us." She shakes her head and turn back to the huddled ponies. "Not only them though. But also Smart Cookie, Private Pansy and...Clover the Clever." A pause. "...I'm containing a squee, by the way."

"I wonder why," I say.

U-Twilight rolls her eyes.

A-Twilight turns back to us. "Anyway, it's strange to see them...like that."

I nod my head. "If I remember correctly, they were having a meeting in a large building or something, arguing about the snow."

A-Twilight nods. "Yes. And they then moved to Equestria."

"Moved to Equestria?" Xana asks. "Does that mean they are _currently_ not in Equestria?"

A-Twilight nods. "The unicorns and earth ponies believed that the pegasi—"

"Save the history for later, Twilight," U-Twilight says, glaring. "So we see that they also don't have basic knowledge in making shelter...just like in the current Equestria." She looks at the group below. "And I don't see any marks on their flanks either." She looks back at her counterpart. "So what was that flash about?"

A-Twilight stares and stares at the group.

Silence.

And then...

"...The windigoes..." She mutters. "That light must have been for the windigoes..." She turns back to us. "Those ponies... They couldn't live here anymore, so they went out and searched for a habitable land, away from the windigoes."

"So they don't go and multiply in Equestria," U-Twilight cuts in. "So what? Who cares?"

"Unity," A-Twilight tells her. "The windigoes united the three tribes. So if the windigoes were to suddenly disappear..."

U-Twilight blinks at her. She looks away. "...I see the point."

"So," Moon Gaze squeaks. "The reason we pegasi and other ponies don't get along is because some blizzard horses were suddenly gone?"

A-Twilight nods at him. "The three tribes, united in Equestria, helped spread that unity all across the land." She looks back at the ponies in the valley. "Once the snow melts, they'll go back to their own tribes, to their own races, and they'll be hating the others again."

"Aww..." Seri frowns a sad frown.

"Meh," Reykan meh's.

"Right," U-Twilight says. "It's sad, but whatever. We didn't see what or who got rid of those equines." She turns to her counterpart. "We should let the potion show us the next change before it's magic runs out."

A-Twilight nods her head. She lights up her horn and—

"Wait," I say, catching the purple mares' attentions. "Twilight, can't you just...rewind and pause, rewind and pause until we see what caused that light?"

"No, we can't," A-Twilight says with a frown. "It's the potion controlling the 'time' in the dreamscape. If I will it to stop and 'rewind,' we'll end up in that dark place after Alter-Me 'woke you.'"

"Oh..." I don't get it, but it's best to end it there.

"Don't worry," A-Twilight smiles. "We're going to the past where the first cutie mark was discovered. All we have to do is find the pony and look above and around them while we wait for the light." She looks at each and every one of us. "With this many eyes, I'm sure at least one of us will catch a glimpse of who or what caused Equestria's change."

I nod my head.

"Everypony ready?"

Seri eagerly nods her tiny little head. Reykan shrugs. Moon Gaze squeaks an affirmative.

"There won't be any snow in the next destination, right, love?" Xana asks.

A-Twilight taps her chin. Seconds later, she brings her hoof back down as she shakes her head. "...Not that I know of."

Xana nods her head with a smile. "Alright then."

I wonder if the Cutie Mark Crusaders are the ones behind this. I mean... I haven't seen them in the altered Equestria, nor do I remember Applejack mention about a younger sister. Then again, they already got their cutie marks, so I guess—

 ** _FLASH_**

* * *

"I am never going to get used to that," I mutter as I rub my eyes with my hooves.

"Me neither," Moon Gaze says.

My ears twitch as the sounds finally register in my brain. It sounds like it's raining. A super strong and super heavy rain.

Thunder roars from the sky.

"Thankfully," I hear Twilight say as I look around. "This is the last stop the potion is going to take us." She taps her chin with a hoof. "...Unless something was changed even before this era."

"I sure hope this is the last one," U-Twilight says, looking around.

Aside from the heavy rainfall, the occasional roars of thunder and flashes of lightning in the stormy, evening sky, we find ourselves surrounded by large boulders and dead trees, with crashing waters running on large rivers.

"Wild storm?" Reykan asks.

"Looks like it," Xana replies.

"I hate wild storms," Moon Gaze says, glaring at the chaotic dark clouds up above. "Can't touch or kick their clouds. No way of stopping them. They also pull our harvested clouds to add to their dark cloudness!"

Harvested clouds? Pegasi harvest clouds?

"Focus, everypony," A-Twilight calls. She flaps her wings and looks around, hovering above the heights of the boulders. A lightning flash momentarily blinds us, and then a crashing thunder follows, shaking the ground. "We should be on the lookout for ponies around here."

"Like those guys?" Reykan suddenly asks.

Everyone turns to him, and then follows his line of sight.

Meters away, we see a foot of a dark and rocky mountain. It looks nothing special until a flash of lightning washes the earth with bright white light, making us see a huge mouth of a cave, completely hidden in the darkness of this stormy night.

Another flash of lightning, and I see white frames of huddled ponies sleeping inside the cave.

"That must be them..." A-Twilight says as she lands. She points at something. "See those dead trees around the cave? I bet lightning will strike one of those and—"

Lightning strikes one of the dead trees, exploding its main tree target and igniting the others around it in ruby flames. Startled by the loud crashing and cracking noise close to them and now awash with the ember light of the large fire that's eating the trees, the ponies inside jump on their hooves and shuffle deeper inside while their scared eyes are locked on the dancing flames outside the cave.

"Quick!" A-Twilight shouts, flapping her wings. "Go near the trees! We'll have to see what causes the light!"

Seri flaps her wings and follows the alicorn while the unicorn runs towards the burning tree.

"Fire is a scary thing..." Reykan mumbles.

"Good thing it can't hurt us then," I say as I turn to them. I gesture with my head to follow the others. "Now come on."

"What exactly are we looking for, anyway?" Moon Gaze asks as we run after the unicorn.

Up ahead, a burning branch snaps off of the burning tree. Landing on the wet, rocky ground, it bounces and rolls inside the cave, leaving ember sparks and trails behind it.

"Seri," the alicorn calls above the trees. "Stay here and keep an eye out."

"...You want me to pull one of my eyes out?"

"No! Just... Just stay here and try to see what or who makes that light."

"Oh, okay! We're not talking about the lightning, right?"

"Nope!" A-Twilight glides down and hovers outside the mouth of the cave.

"I'll stay out here," U-Twilight says, standing a few meters from the burning trees, joined by Xana and Moon Gaze.

Reykan and I stop outside the cave as well, watching the curious ponies talking amongst themselves in a language I don't understand.

"Oh my gosh oh my gosh—" Twilight chants under her breath, rapidly blinking at the scene.

Soon, the ponies all look at one pony. With a determined nod, the curious and muscular earth pony stallion quietly and carefully approaches the burning branch.

"I don't blame then for being scared," Reykan says as the heavens roar a mighty thunder. "I'm scared of it, too. Who wouldn't be?" He shakes his head. "It's hot, and it hurts and it can kill and it can destroy homes."

Uh huh... "Focus, Reykan. I need you to see beyond the light that you saw," I say as the pony tries to touch the flame.

The warmth brings a smile to his lips, but said smile disappears as a yelp escapes his mouth when his hoof got too close, making the other ponies behind him jump in fright. He stands up and turns to his peers, saying something to them, along with hoof gestures. Blinking, his companions look at each other before slowly approaching the fire. The smiling stallion steps aside, giving way to the others to experience the fire's warmth.

What's that weird humming noise—

"There!"

"Where?!"

"I see it!"

"Gah!"

"What is it?!"

 ** _FLASH_**

The white light disappears...and so is the ember light. A loud cracking noise, and then the burned trees crash to the ground, startling the ponies inside the cave and making them run deeper inside, away from the violent elements of nature.

"Did you see it?!" U-Twilight shouts as she runs and stops beside me, looking at the hovering alicorn. "Tell me you saw it!"

Xana stands behind us as Seri lands beside the unicorn.

Slowly, the alicorn flies down on the ground. 'Landing,' she turns around with a dumbfounded look on her face.

"...I take it that you saw what caused the light," the unicorn says.

"I did," Reykan says. He shrugs. "But I don't know what it was..."

I didn't... How am I supposed to see beyond such a bright light?

"Twilight!" the unicorn yells, snapping the alicorn back. "Are you going to tell us or would you rather I invade your mind?"

A-Twilight closes her eyes and takes a deep, _deep_ breath. With a slow nod, she says: "Yes... I saw it."

I arch an eyebrow. "It?" I ask.

Reopening her eyes, she nods her head. "Yes." She frowns. "It was a—"

A loud roar of thunder erupts from the heavens.


	40. 2 - 20

_Somewhere..._

 _Distant stars can be seen everywhere, twinkling in total silence._

 _A gentle flipping noise echoes in the silence._

 _A breath escapes a muzzle. Slowly, closed eyelids open, revealing black and blue eyes, reflecting the sheets and cosmos._

 _Another breath. Another flipping noise._

 _And then a smile._

 _"..."_

 _A malicious one._


End file.
